Patch testing is a useful investigation in children with eczema.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dermatology
• Allergology
• Contact Dermatitis

Background:

• Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in children is increasingly recognized as a contributor to eczema.
• Patch testing is a valuable diagnostic tool for identifying ACD in pediatric populations.
• This study focuses on children with various eczema types, primarily atopic dermatitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patch test results in children with eczema.
• To identify common allergens responsible for ACD in this age group.
• To assess the diagnostic utility of patch testing for pediatric eczema.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patch test results from 110 children (ages 2-18).
• Data collected from a contact dermatitis clinic between April 2002 and December 2008.
• Evaluation of positive reactions by gender, age group, and clinical relevance.

Main Results:

• 44% of children (48/110) had at least one relevant positive allergic reaction.
• Common allergens included medicaments, plant allergens, house dust mite, nickel, Amerchol® L101, and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol.
• A positive allergen finding did not correlate with improved clinical outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Patch testing successfully identifies relevant allergens in 44% of children with eczema.
• Key allergens identified are medicaments, plant allergens, house dust mite, nickel, Amerchol® L101, and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol.
• Patch testing is feasible and beneficial for children as young as 2 years with appropriate preparation.