[Most important contact allergens in hand eczema]

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Allergology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) frequently manifests on the head and hands.
• Hand eczema is often triggered or maintained by contact allergens.
• Allergological examination via patch testing is recommended for hand eczema lasting over three months.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common contact allergens in patients with hand eczema.
• To compare allergen prevalence in hand eczema with and without occupational dermatosis (OD).
• To inform allergen avoidance strategies in occupational hand eczema.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of patch test data from 56,170 patients tested between 2014-2018.
• Focus on 16,807 patients with hand eczema, categorizing them by occupational dermatosis (OD) status.
• Comparison of the top 30 allergens between hand eczema patients with and without OD.

Main Results:

• Nickel, MCI/MI, fragrance mix I, cobalt, and chromium were common allergens in standard series.
• 22 common allergens appeared in the top 30 lists for both groups, but with varying frequencies.
• Specific allergens like octyl gallate (without OD) and tetramethylthiurammonosulfide (with OD) were notable.

Conclusions:

• Common allergens differ between hand eczema with and without occupational dermatosis.
• Identifying specific allergens is crucial for effective management and avoidance.
• Early involvement of accident insurance and dermatologists is vital for occupational hand eczema management.