Trends in Patch Testing With the Mayo Clinic Standard Series, 2017-2021

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Allergology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Patch testing is crucial for diagnosing contact dermatitis by identifying causative allergens.
• Allergen reaction rates change over time due to evolving population exposures.
• Previous studies established baseline reaction rates for standard allergen series.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patch test results from the Mayo Clinic standard series between 2017 and 2021.
• To compare current findings with historical data (2011-2015) and the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) report (2017-2018).
• To identify prevalent allergens and trends in contact dermatitis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patch test reactions to the standard series from 2017-2021.
• Comparison of reaction rates with prior Mayo Clinic data and the NACDG report.
• Analysis of 2667 patient test results.

Main Results:

• Over 63% of patients (1683/2667) exhibited at least one positive patch test reaction.
• The top 15 allergens included hydroperoxides of linalool (1% and 0.5%), methylisothiazolinone, Myroxylon pereirae resin, and fragrance mix I.
• Twelve of the top 15 allergens identified were consistent with the NACDG report.
• Newly added allergens, hydroperoxides of linalool and limonene, demonstrated high reaction rates.

Conclusions:

• Hydroperoxides of linalool and limonene are significant allergens associated with high reaction rates in the studied population.
• Current patch test results show considerable overlap with national data, indicating consistent allergen prevalence.
• Ongoing monitoring of patch test results is essential for understanding and managing contact dermatitis trends.