Patients with atopic eczema do become sensitized to contact allergens

Sensitization to contact allergens in atopics was assessed by grouping 989 patients, who were routinely patch tested, by their personal atopic status. Sensitization to > or = 1 allergens occurred in 38% of the 191 patients with existing atopic eczema, in 53% of the 120 with a past history of atopic eczema, in 54% of the 156 with only mucous membrane atopy and in 50% of the 510 who were not atopic. Sensitization to perfume, a common environmental allergen, was similar in all 4 groups, as was nickel among women. Patients with atopic eczema should be patch tested.