Occupational Contact Dermatitis in the Canadian Aircraft Industry.

BACKGROUND: Aircraft building exposes workers to irritant and sensitizing products. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to study occupational dermatoses among aircraft workers over 25 years. METHODS: The files of aerospace workers referred between 1990 and 2015 were extracted from the database of the McGill University Health Centre contact dermatitis clinic. These were subdivided according to demographics, type of work, patch testing results, and final diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 305 workers, 58% were 40 years or younger; one third were women. Onset of dermatitis varied from 2 months to 25 years, but 120 cases (39%) occurred during the first 3 years. Fifty-one percent of the cases involved assemblers, and 27% were composite material technicians, which were overrepresented as they constitute 10% of the workforce. Of the 305 workers, 152 suffered from allergic contact dermatitis, and 96 had irritant contact dermatitis. Of those with allergic contact dermatitis, 124 reacted to epoxy-based workplace products, but only 48 had positive patch tests to commercially available epoxy allergens. CONCLUSION: More than 60% of the cases of epoxy allergy would have been missed without testing with workplace products.

Alkyl Glucosides.

Alkyl glucosides are surfactants synthesized through the condensation of long-chain fatty alcohols and glucose, extracted from vegetal, renewable sources. Although available for more than 4 decades, they have been rediscovered in recent years because of their eco-friendly character. They are used in various leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics and are considered of low irritancy and allergenicity. However, since the early 2000s, cases of allergic contact dermatitis to this family of molecules have been repeatedly reported. Decyl glucoside was found to be a "hidden" allergen in the sunscreen ingredient Tinosorb M and is likely responsible for most allergic contact dermatitis reported to this compound. Members of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group have seen a steady increase of the rate of sensitization to decyl glucoside. Cross-reactions with other glucosides are common but not automatic; thus, patch testing multiple compounds is recommended.

Alkyl Glucosides in Contact Dermatitis.

Ecologically sound because they are synthesized from natural and renewable sources, the mild surfactants alkyl glucosides are being rediscovered by the cosmetic industry. They are currently found in rinse-off products such as shampoos, liquid cleansers, and shower gels, but also in leave-on products that include moisturizers, deodorants, and sunscreens. During the past 15 years, numerous cases of allergic contact dermatitis have been published, mostly to lauryl and decyl glucosides, and these compounds are considered emergent allergens. Interestingly, the sunscreen Tinosorb M contains decyl glucoside as a hidden allergen, and most cases of allergic contact dermatitis reported to this sunscreen ingredient are probably due to sensitization to decyl glucoside. This article will review the chemistry of alkyl glucosides, their sources of exposure, as well as their cutaneous adverse effects reported in the literature and encountered in various patch testing centers.