Allergic contact dermatitis and eosinophilia in association with a hemodialysis cannula

After starting daily hemodialysis (HD) therapy, 2 patients experienced pruritic, erythematous, papular eruptions at their arteriovenous fistula sites. Both patients also developed systemic eosinophilia, with eosinophil counts from 1.0 to 4.4 x 10(9) . In all other respects, the patients were well and both had a subjective improvement in their quality of life. Results of initial investigations to rule out the possibility of parasites, collagen vascular disease, and myeloproliferative disorders were negative in 1 patient. Subsequent patch testing in both patients was positive for allergic contact dermatitis secondary to the epoxy resin used in their blunt HD needles.