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Published on: July 13, 2009
Patch tests with fragrance mix II and its components
Györgyi Pónyai1, Ilona Németh, Anita Altmayer
1Department of Dermatology, Venerology, and Dermato-oncology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. gyorgyi.ponyai@gmail.com
Background:
Fragrance mix II (FM II) was initiated to detect contact hypersenstitivity (CH) to fragrances that could not have been identified previously.
Objective:
The aim of this multicenter study was to map the frequency of CH to FM II and its components in Hungary.
Methods:
Six centers participated in the survey from 2009 to 2010. A total off 565 patients (434 women and 131 men) with former skin symptoms provoked by scented products were patch tested. The tests were performed with Brial GmbH D-Greven allergens. In the environmental patch test series, FM II, FM I, Myroxylon pereirae, colophonium, wood-tar mix, propolis, and sesquiterpene lactone mix were tested as fragrance allergens. The FM II components (citral, farnesol, coumarin, citronellol, α-hexyl-cinnamaldehyde, and hydroxy-isohexyl-3-cyclohexene-carboxaldehyde [Lyral]) were also tested.
Results:
Contact hypersenstitivity to any fragrances was detected in 28.8%, to FM II in 17.2% of the patients. Contact hypersenstitivity to hydroxy-isohexyl-3-cyclohexene-carboxaldehyde was observed in 7.3%, to coumarin in 5.1%, to α-hexyl-cinnamaldehyde in 3.5%, to citral in 3.4%, to farnesol in 2.5%, and to citronellol in 1.2%. Of the FM II-positive cases, 48.4% showed isolated CH reaction.
Conclusions:
The frequency of CH to FM II is 17.2% in the tested, selected Hungarian population. The CH to FM II and its components could not have been revealed without the present test materials.
