Pattern of Corticosteroid Allergy in Thailand

Are the Spanish baseline series markers sufficient to detect contact allergy to corticosteroids in Spain? A GEIDAC prospective study

“…, in a single‐centre retrospective study, found 1.16% of 2587 tested patients with corticosteroid contact allergy in an 11‐year period. These proportions are lower than the described prevalences in North America (4.12%) , Thailand (3.29%) , or Belgium (2.7%) . Geographical differences between Spain and other European regions have apparently not changed over time.…”

“…For instance, in a multicentre European study completed in 1996 , the lowest relative frequency of corticosteroid allergy among 14 hospitals across Europe was found in a Spanish centre (0.4% as compared with an overall 2.6% in the rest of Europe). This low prevalence could be explained by the lack of over‐the‐counter corticosteroids available in Spain, unlike in other countries , but could also be attributable to different prescription habits among physicians in Spain, who would probably tend to use less allergenic corticosteroids. As suggested by our internet survey, class 3 corticosteroids, which are known to be less sensitizing, are widely used by Spanish dermatologists.…”