frequency of skin allergens in patients with contact dermatitis

ABSTRACT

Eczema is one of the most widely spread inflammatory skin disorders. Contact dermatitis is an eczematous dermatitis that is produced as a result of contact with a substance in the environment. The substance can act as an irritant or allergen. Every country has allergens particular to itself. Determining the frequency of skin allergens in patients with contact dermatitis in Tehran. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, all the data about the patients with chronic contact dermatitis who were visited in a dermatology clinic in Tehran from the year 1993 to 2003 and patch tested with 23 allergens of European Standard Series [ESS] were analyzed. In this study 222 patients were surveryed. The mean age of the patients was 33.5 Years [SD=13.8]. 66.5% of the patients were females. The most common site of involvement [49%] was their hands. The mean duration of the disease was 54 months [SD=62]. Clinical diagnosis included 59% allergic contact dermatitis, 24% irritant dermatitis, 10% atopic dermatitis, and 7% other types of dermatitis. One-hundred and forty five [65.3%] of them had at least one positive reaction. The most common allergens were nickle sulfate 22.6%, cobalt chloride 14.5%, and fragrance mix 13.6%. Nickel was the most common contact allergen among the patients surveyed