Contact dermatitis - epidemiological study

To evaluate the real incidence of contact dermatitis, to identify the most common allergens, the favoring factors, to establish the prophylaxis methods, the key for a correct management of the patient with contact dermatitis.

A retrospective study, on the patients that refers to the Dermatology Clinic, "St. Spiridon" Emergency Hospital Iasi, between 01.01.2006 and 31.12. 2009, based on demographic items, the type of contact dermatitis and the allergens implicated.

we enrolled 353 patients between 2006-2009, representing 3,89% from the hospitalized patients; the study reveals a higher incidence at women (60,27%), similar with data from literature; the majority of the patients was aged over 45, with the higher rate in the interval of 45-65 years old; the most frequent implicated allergens and irritants were plants (26,31% - 92 patients) and topical drugs and antiseptics (25,65% - 89 patients); the area most affected was the face (25%) and the hands (19,07%), from which almost 80-90% was occupational dermatitis. The distribution of cases depending on the type of contact dermatitis indicates an approximate percentage of those allergic to those irritant.

The real prevalence of this disease is unknown, being frequently a missed diagnosis (other kinds of eczema), the key of the correct diagnose being a repeated, exhaustive anamnesis, revealing all the favoring conditions and possible contact allergens.