Contact sensitization in the anal and genital area

We analysed the patch test results in 1,374 patients suffering from dermatoses in the anogenital area (n = 561 genital dermatoses, n = 470 anal dermatoses, n = 343 anogenital dermatoses) patch tested in 44 dermatological departments of the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology from 2004 to 2008. All other patients patch tested during this time period without anogenital dermatoses formed the control group (n = 49, 142). Of the total study group, 662 (48.2%) patients were male. 179 (13%) had a past or present atopic dermatitis. The vast majority of the patients was older than 40 years (n = 989, 72%). Suspected allergen sources were first of all topical medicaments, followed by cosmetics, cleansing agents, clothes, rubber products, systemic medicaments and disinfectants. Allergic contact dermatitis was diagnosed in 409 (29.8%) of the tested patients. Patients with anogenital dermatoses were sensitized mainly to active agents of topical medicaments, in particular bufexamac (5.3%). Sensitization pattern and sensitization rates observed in patients with genital and anal involvement differed significantly. Patients with anal disease had significantly higher sensitization rates for bufexamac (9.4 vs. 1.1%), fragrance mix I (8.7 vs. 4.2%) and II (4.5 vs. 2.6%), propolis (5.4 vs. 1.9%) and methyldibromoglutaronitrile (6.3 vs. 4.1%). Patients with chronic anal dermatoses seem to have a higher risk to develop sensitizations to topically applied products and drugs than patients with genital dermatoses. Recommended patch test series (German Contact Dermatitis Research Group) are standard series, local anaesthetics series, topical antibiotics, antimycotics, steroids, ointment bases and preservative series as well as the patients' own products.