Patch test results in children and adolescents. Study from the Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte Dermatology Clinic, Brazil, from 2003 to 2010

Abstract

BACKGROUNDPatch testing is an efficient method to identify the allergen responsible for allergic contact dermatitis.OBJECTIVETo evaluate the results of patch tests in children and adolescents comparing these two age groups' results.METHODSCross-sectional study to assess patch test results of 125 children and adolescents aged 1-19 years, with suspected allergic contact dermatitis, in a dermatology clinic in Brazil. Two Brazilian standardized series were used.RESULTSSeventy four (59.2%) patients had "at least one positive reaction" to the patch test. Among these positive tests, 77.0% were deemed relevant. The most frequent allergens were nickel (36.8%), thimerosal (18.4%), tosylamide formaldehyde resin (6.8%), neomycin (6.4%), cobalt (4.0%) and fragrance mix I (4.0%). The most frequent positive tests came from adolescents (p=0.0014) and females (p=0.0002). There was no relevant statistical difference concerning contact sensitizations among patients with or without atopic history. However, there were significant differences regarding sensitization to nickel (p=0.029) and thimerosal (p=0.042) between the two age groups under study, while adolescents were the most affected.CONCLUSIONNickel and fragrances were the only positive (and relevant) allergens in children. Nickel and tosylamide formaldehyde resin were the most frequent and relevant allergens among adolescents.

Patch test results in children and adolescents suffering from allergic contact dermatitis – comparison of patients with and without atopic dermatitis

“…The second most common allergen in the researched group was cobalt chloride, giving 12.8% positive results. According to literature data the frequency of positive tests with this allergen in children ranges between 4% and 12.3% [10,15,23]. In our studies, as in the case of nickel, cobalt contact allergy was observed much more frequently among girls (16.4%), particularly at the age of 14-18 (18.62%).…”

“…O rozpoznaniu u dziecka ACD świadczy dodatni wynik testu płatkowego oraz potwierdzenie, że kontakt z daną substancją rzeczywiście wywołuje objawy chorobowe (wykazanie istotności klinicznej) [5][6][7][8]. Do najczęstszych alergenów kontaktowych u dzieci należą: nikiel, propolis, tiomersal, kobalt, chrom, substancje zapachowe, neomycyna, p--fenylenodwuamina (PPD) [5,9,10]. Dane z piśmiennictwa wykazują jednak, że udział poszczególnych alergenów w ACD jest odmienny w różnych krajach.…”

“…Drugim co do częstości występowania alergenem był w badanej grupie chlorek kobaltu -12,8% wyników dodatnich. Według danych z piśmiennictwa częstość występowania dodatnich prób z tym alergenem u dzieci wynosi 4-12,3% [10,15,23]. W naszych badaniach, podobnie jak w przypadku niklu, alergię kontaktową na kobalt stwierdzono znacznie częściej u dziewcząt (16,4%), zwłaszcza w wieku 14-18 lat (18,62%).…”

“…W związku 79 Dermatology Review/Przegląd Dermatologiczny 2017/2 of contact allergy a positive patch test result with a given allergen and demonstration of its clinical relevance are important [5][6][7][8]. The most frequent contact allergens in children have been considered to be nickel, propolis, thimerosal, cobalt, chromate, fragrances, neomycin, and p-phenylenediamine (PPD) [5,9,10]. The literature data have indicated however significant differences in participation of individual allergens as a cause of ACD between different countries.…”

Patch testing in Israeli children with suspected allergic contact dermatitis: A retrospective study and literature review

“…We reviewed 50 series from 48 studies 5-8,14-57 of children and adolescents referred for standard patch testing because of suspected ACD (total n = 26 710; Table 6). The upper age limit was 18 years in all but three studies, in which the limit was 19 53,54 or 20 years. 55 Sample size ranged from 45 to 6708 subjects.…”