Gold contact allergy: clues and controversies

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Allergology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Gold was designated Contact Allergen of the Year in 2001.
• Challenges persist in defining gold's role in contact allergy over a decade later.
• Understanding the complex gold-human body interaction requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on gold patch test positivity.
• To provide recommendations for epicutaneous patch testing with gold.
• To address challenges in diagnosing gold contact allergy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies concerning gold patch test results.
• Analysis of diagnostic difficulties in gold allergy.
• Synthesis of current understanding of gold's role in contact dermatitis.

Main Results:

• Gold can cause irritant reactions and delayed, persistent allergic contact dermatitis.
• Gold compounds frequently yield positive patch tests, but clinical relevance is often low and difficult to ascertain.
• Interpretation of patch test results for gold allergy requires careful consideration of irritant potential and reaction patterns.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of gold allergy requires addressing challenges in patch test interpretation and clinical correlation.
• Recommendations for standardized epicutaneous patch testing with gold are presented.
• Further research into the mechanisms of gold hypersensitivity is warranted.