title: Intradermal testing in doubtful cases of contact allergy to metals.
abstract: Among 1670 consecutively patch tested patients an intradermal test with chromium, cobalt and nickel was added in 66 cases. There were three indications for intradermal testing: 1) the patch test reaction at 72 h was difficult to interpret; among 49 patients with one or more doubtful reactions a metal allergy was confirmed in 24 and rejected in 54. 2) ten patients with a negative patch test in spite of a positive history of metal allergy; among these, one was positive to cobalt, two to nickel and the other seven negative. 3) seven patients checked for a previously diagnosed allergy; a metal allergy was confirmed in four. Intradermal testing is recommended for confirmation of doubtful patch test reactions, particularly to disclose false positive reactions to metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D002857:Chromium / Q000009:adverse effects; D003035:Cobalt / Q000009:adverse effects; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D002857:Chromium; D003035:Cobalt; D009532:Nickel