Contact sensitization to disperse dyes in children

From January 1996 to December 2000, 1098 children, including 667 subjects with suspected allergic contact dermatitis and 431 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), were patch tested with seven disperse dyes: disperse blue 124 (DB124), disperse blue 106 (DB106), disperse red 1 (DR1), disperse yellow 3 (DY3), disperse orange 3 (DO3), p-aminoazobenzene (PAAB), and p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (PDAAB). Of these, 51 patients (4.6%; 34 girls and 17 boys) proved sensitized to disperse dyes. AD or history of AD was present in 30 patients (59%). The most common sensitizer was DY3 (17 patients), followed by DO3 (15 patients), and DB124 (14 patients). Among dye-positive patients, about 12% were sensitized to disperse dyes alone and only 14% reacted to para-phenylenediamine. In disperse dye-sensitive children not affected by AD, the feet, axillae, and groin appeared to be the most common localizations, whereas in those with AD, involvement of the face and the flexural areas of the limbs was more common. In conclusion, our study showed that in children with suspected contact sensitization, disperse dyes should be regarded as potential triggering allergens.