Patch Test Results to European Baseline Series in Turkey: A Prospective and Multicenter Study

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Allergology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Patch testing is crucial for diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis.
• The European Baseline Series (EBS) is a standard diagnostic tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common contact allergens in Turkey using patch testing.
• To analyze the regional distribution of these allergens across Turkey.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study involving 12 tertiary healthcare institutions.
• 1169 patients underwent patch testing with the EBS between 2015 and 2017.

Main Results:

• 51% of patients showed positive reactions to the EBS.
• Nickel sulfate (20.4%) was the most frequent allergen, followed by textile dye mix (8.6%) and cobalt chloride (8.3%).
• Contact sensitivity was more prevalent in younger individuals.

Conclusions:

• The study establishes a comprehensive profile of EBS patch test results in Turkey.
• A decline in methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone allergies was noted.
• Textile dye mix and p-phenylenediamine represent increasing allergen risks in the region.