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LATEX sensitization in elderly: allergological study and diagnostic protocol
Teresa Grieco1, Valentina Faina1, Laura Dies1
1Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Background:
The prevalence of latex allergy varies according to the population studied from 3% to 64%. No data exist in the present literature about elderly people because they were not considered among populations at risk. We report a retrospective observational study of 88 elderly patients of our centre of Dermatology and Allergology at Policlinico Umberto I, University of Rome, Sapienza.
Results:
First and second level diagnostic tests showed latex positivity in 11,4% of patients studied for latex allergy in the elderly population.
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrates a prevalence of elderly-latex sensitization of 11,4%, showing that allergy to latex is a growing disease that can occur at any age. So, we propose these patients as an additional risk category for latex allergy.
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