Occupational Contact Urticaria, Protein Contact Dermatitis and Concomitant Airway Diseases in the Finnish Register of...

Occupational contact urticaria (OCU) and protein contact dermatitis (PCD) may co-exist with occupational asthma (OA) and occupational rhinitis (OR) and be caused by the same allergen. These diseases are commonly caused by immediate (immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated) allergic sensitisation. Limited data exist on the prevalence and causes of concomitant occupational skin and airway diseases (CSAD).

To analyse data from the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases (FROD) for prevalence, main causes, and at-risk occupations for concomitant occupational skin and airway diseases.

Data on recognised cases of OCU, PCD, OA and OR in the years 2005-2020 (n = 2413) were retrieved from FROD and analysed.

Among OCU/PCD cases, 27% had OA, OR, or both. Conversely, 10% of OA cases and 14% of OR cases had OCU/PCD. Concomitant diseases were most common in farming, animal care, and food-related jobs. Shared causative exposures were identified in 89% of cases, with cow dander, wheat flour, and chemicals being the most frequent.

Concomitant occupational skin and airway diseases caused by shared work-related allergens are relatively common. When evaluating patients with occupational immediate allergy, both skin and airway symptoms should be considered.