Patch testing in children. (I) Collective test results; skin testability in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dermatology
• Allergology
• Clinical Immunology

Background:

• Eczema affects a significant pediatric population.
• Accurate diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis in children is crucial.
• Patch testing is a key diagnostic tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the results of 10 years of patch testing in children with eczema.
• To determine the frequency and relevance of positive patch test reactions in this cohort.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of standard adult concentrations for pediatric patch testing.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 10 years of patch test data.
• Inclusion of 147 children aged 3-16 years diagnosed with eczema.
• Detailed recording of positive, negative, and relevant test results.

Main Results:

• Out of 147 children tested, 104 (71%) showed positive reactions.
• 334 (6.1%) of 5398 total tests were positive, with 302 (90%) being clinically relevant.
• A high number of negative results (5,064) were observed, indicating tolerance to tested allergens.

Conclusions:

• Positive patch test reactions are relatively infrequent in pediatric eczema patients.
• Pediatric skin can be safely tested using adult concentrations.
• The high relevance of positive reactions supports their allergic etiology.