Diagnostic Value of Patch Test in Hand and Foot Eczemas

Abstract

BACKGROUND The present study is undertaken to evaluate the results of patch test in 50 patients having hand and foot eczema attending skin OPD from October 2010 to September 2012 at KIMS, Narketpally. RESULTS Maximum number of cases in this study belong to 16-30 yrs. (46%).  In majority of cases, eczema was seen in both hands and feet (40%). Hand and foot eczema was commonly seen in construction workers (42.3%).  Mean duration of illness is 19.48 months.  42% of patients presented with acute eczema followed by subacute eczema (38%) and then chronic eczema (20%).  Personal and family history of atopy was seen in only 4% and 6%, respectively.  Hand and foot eczema (42.3%) was the commonest eczema followed by hand (30.74%) and then foot eczema (11.53%) and others (15.37%).  57.69% of patients are positive to more than one allergen and 42.3% were positive to single allergen.  Multiple allergens positivity is seen in construction workers (30.76%).  Potassium di chromate (28.5%) is the common allergen found in patch test followed by Parthenium (16.6%) followed by Paraphenylenediamine (14%) and then Cobalt sulphate and Thiuram mix (9.5%) and lastly Parabens mix, Nickel sulphate, Black rubber mix and Neomycin (4.7%).  Positive patch test is more commonly observed in patients having hands and or foot eczemas (42.30%). CONCLUSION Hand and foot eczema (42%) was the commonest eczema followed by hand (30%) and then foot eczema (11.5%) and others (15.3%). Potassium dichromate is the commonest sensitiser (28.8%). We encountered a high degree of patch test positivity in our study group and the Indian standard series proved to be very useful.