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Patch testing in children with hand eczema. A 5-year multicentre study in Spain.
Fernando Toledo1, Begoña García-Bravo, Virginia Fernández-Redondo
1Department of Dermatology, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante 03010, Spain. fernandotoledoalberola@hotmail.com
Contact Dermatitis
|June 28, 2011
Summary
Patch testing is recommended for children with chronic hand eczema, revealing a high prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis. Nickel sulfate, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone, and fragrance mix I were common allergens.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Allergology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Hand eczema is prevalent in children but underdiagnosed.
- Limited research exists on patch testing for pediatric hand eczema.
- This study addresses the gap in understanding contact allergy in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of contact allergy in children with hand eczema.
- To identify common allergens responsible for hand eczema in children.
- To assess the clinical relevance of identified allergens.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study over 5 years.
- Involved 480 children (aged 0-15 years) with hand eczema.
- Utilized the Spanish baseline series for patch testing across 11 hospitals.
Main Results:
- 46.8% of children with hand eczema showed positive patch test reactions.
- Nickel sulfate, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone, and fragrance mix I were the most frequent allergens.
- Allergic contact dermatitis was the primary diagnosis (36%), followed by atopic dermatitis.
Conclusions:
- Allergic contact dermatitis is a common diagnosis in pediatric hand eczema.
- Patch testing should be considered for all children with chronic hand eczema.
- Findings support routine patch testing similar to adult protocols.
