Patch testing in children with hand eczema. A 5-year multicentre study in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Hand eczema is common in children, but affected children are seldom patch tested. Relatively few studies have assessed patch testing in the paediatric population, and none has specifically evaluated its use in hand eczema in children. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of contact allergy in children with hand eczema, and to identify the most frequent allergens and their relevance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a 5-year retrospective study of children (aged 0-15 years) with hand eczema tested with the Spanish baseline series at the Dermatology Departments of 11 Spanish hospitals. RESULTS: During the study period, 11 729 patients were patch tested, of whom 480 were children. Hand eczema was present in 111 (23.1%) of the children and in 3437 (30.5%) of the adults. Of the children with hand eczema, 46.8% had at least one positive reaction in the patch tests. Current relevance was found for 78% of the allergens detected. The most common allergens were nickel sulfate, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone, and fragrance mix I. Allergic contact dermatitis was the most frequent diagnosis (36%), followed by atopic dermatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Allergic contact dermatitis was the most usual diagnosis in our series of children with hand eczema. We recommend patch testing of all children with chronic hand eczema, as is already performed in adults.

Development and validation of a questionnaire on 'Satisfaction with dermatological treatment of hand eczema' (DermaSat).

OBJECTIVE: To develop a self-administered short questionnaire to assess patient satisfaction with medical treatment for hand eczema (dermatitis) with good psychometric properties. METHOD: The content of the questionnaire was determined on the basis of clinical consultation with groups of patients, from studying the existing instruments, and from discussions with a panel of seven experts. A first draft version containing 38 items organised in six dimensions was tested on a pilot sample of patients to assess its legibility. The extended version was then tested on a sample of 217 patients of both genders enrolled at 18 hospitals representative of the national distribution. The questionnaire was supplied together with the Morisky-Green compliance questionnaire, the health-related quality of life (HRQL) SF-12 questionnaire, and a visual analogue scale (VAS) of perceived health status to assess concurrent validity. The dimensionality was reduced by means of exploratory factor analysis, and reliability was evaluated on the basis of internal consistency and two halves reliability estimates. Item discriminant capability and questionnaire discriminant validity with respect to known groups of patients (by gender, principal diagnosis, age, disease severity and treatment) were also assessed. RESULTS: The reduction and validation sample was composed of 54% women and 46% men, of various educational levels with an average age of 43 years (SD = 13.7). Of those who responded, 26% were diagnosed with hyperkeratotic dermatitis of the palms and 27% of the fingertips, and 47% with recurring palmar dyshidrotic eczema. The questionnaire was shortened to a version containing 17 items grouped in six dimensions: effectiveness, convenience, impact on HRQL, medical follow-up, side effects, and general opinion. Cronbach's alpha coefficient reached a value of 0.9. The dimensions showed different degrees of correlation, and the scores had a normal distribution with an average of 58.4 points (SD = 18.01). Treatment satisfaction scores attained correlations between 0.003 and 0.222 with the HRQL measures, and showed higher correlations with the effectiveness (r = 0.41) and tolerability (0.22) measures, but very low correlation with compliance (r = 0.015). Significant differences were observed between some diagnoses and treatments. CONCLUSIONS: The shortened questionnaire proved to have good psychometric properties, providing excellent reliability, satisfactorily reproducing the proposed structure and supplying evidence of validity.

Immediate contact skin reactions, an update of Contact Urticaria, Contact Urticaria Syndrome and Protein Contact Dermatitis -- "A Never Ending Story".

Listening and paying attention to our patients is crucial for understanding a disease. A good example is Immediate Contact Skin Reactions (ICSR) which manifest as Contact Urticaria Syndrome (CUS), Contact Urticaria (CU) and Protein Contact Dermatitis (PCD). These entities are characterized by the immediate skin development of itchy flares, wheals, and/or dermatitis. All conditions usually appear within minutes of contact with various substances, including chemicals, animal products, antibiotics, cosmetics, and many other materials. From the clinical and diagnostic viewpoint, the patient's clinical report is critical to its description, definition and classification. Its pathogenesis still remains a challenge and our knowledge of the agents potentially responsible is slowly increasing over time, based on the descriptions of a few isolated cases. This text reviews the classic concepts, introduces new compounds responsible for these immediate skin reactions, and suggests further investigation.

Shoe contact dermatitis from dimethyl fumarate: clinical manifestations, patch test results, chemical analysis, and source of exposure.

BACKGROUND: The methyl ester form of fumaric acid named dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an effective mould-growth inhibitor. Its irritating and sensitizing properties were demonstrated in animal models. Recently, DMF has been identified as responsible for furniture contact dermatitis in Europe. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical manifestations, patch test results, shoe chemical analysis, and source of exposure to DMF-induced shoe contact dermatitis. PATIENTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: Patients with suspected shoe contact dermatitis were studied in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Patch test results obtained with their own shoe and the European baseline series, acrylates and fumaric acid esters (FAE), were recorded according to international guidelines. The content of DMF in shoes was analysed with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Acute, immediate irritant contact dermatitis and non-immunological contact urticaria were observed in eight adults and two children, respectively. All the adult patients studied developed a delayed sensitization demonstrated by a positive patch testing to DMF < or = 0.1% in pet. Cross-reactivity with other FAEs and acrylates was observed. At least 12 different shoe brands were investigated. The chemical analysis from the available shoes showed the presence of DMF. CONCLUSION: DMF in shoes was responsible for severe contact dermatitis. Global preventive measures for avoiding contact with DMF are necessary.

[Consensus document on phototherapy: PUVA therapy and narrow-band UVB therapy]. / Documento de consenso sobre fototerapia: terapias PUVA y UVB de banda estrecha.

It is essential to develop a consensus document on phototherapy in order to adapt this procedure to the specific characteristics, needs and reality of our milieu. Using a review of existing literature on the subject and the experience of its own members as a reference, the Spanish Photobiology Group (GEF) of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) has developed some therapeutic guidelines for the most widely used modes of phototherapy: PUVA therapy and narrow-band UVB (NBUVB) therapy. These guidelines deal with generalities about the equipment, calibration and regulation in phototherapy booths, and the concept and indications for these forms of treatment are reviewed. Recommendations are also proposed regarding patient selection, therapeutic procedures, associated pharmacological agents of interest and the prevention and management of adverse effects. The consensus document is designed as a flexible and practical instrument intended for use in daily clinical practice, aimed at optimizing the possibilities of phototherapy while reducing risks for patients and therapists.