Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response
Published on: October 3, 2019
Patch testing is a useful investigation in children with eczema
Manar Moustafa1, Catherine R Holden, Preeti Athavale
1Department of Paediatric Dermatology, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TH, UK.
Insights
Patch testing identified relevant allergens in 44% of children with eczema, including common triggers like medicaments and nickel. This diagnostic tool is effective for pediatric allergic contact dermatitis, even in young children.
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.
Background:
Allergic contact dermatitis in children is less recognized than in adults. However, recently, allergic contact dermatitis has started to attract more interest as a cause of or contributor to eczema in children, and patch testing has been gaining in recognition as a useful diagnostic tool in this group.
Objectives:
The aim of this analysis was to investigate the results of patch testing of selected children with eczema of various types (mostly atopic dermatitis) attending the Sheffield Children's Hospital, and to assess potential allergens that might elicit allergic contact dermatitis.
Patients And Methods:
We analysed retrospectively the patch test results in 110 children aged between 2 and 18 years, referred to a contact dermatitis clinic between April 2002 and December 2008. We looked at the percentages of relevant positive reactions in boys and girls, by age groups, and recorded the outcome of treatment following patch testing.
Results:
One or more positive allergic reactions of current or past relevance was found in 48/110 children (44%; 29 females and 19 males). There were 94 allergy-positive patch test reactions in 110 patients: 81 had a reaction of current or past relevance, 12 had a reaction of unknown relevance, and 1 had reaction that was a cross-reaction. The commonest allergens with present or past relevance were medicaments, plant allergens, house dust mite, nickel, Amerchol® L101 (a lanolin derivative), and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol. However, finding a positive allergen was not associated with a better clinical outcome.
Conclusions:
We have shown that patch testing can identify relevant allergens in 44% of children with eczema. The commonest relevant allergens were medicament allergens, plant allergens, house dust mite, nickel, Amerchol® L101, and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol. Patch testing can be performed in children as young as 2 years with the proper preparation.
More Related Videos
09:32Resolving Water, Proteins, and Lipids from In Vivo Confocal Raman Spectra of Stratum Corneum through a Chemometric Approach
Published on: September 26, 2019
06:47Effects of Exposure of Formaldehyde to a Rat Model of Atopic Dermatitis Induced by Neonatal Capsaicin Treatment
Published on: September 27, 2017