Benzocaine--an unsatisfactory indicator of topical local anaesthetic sensitization for the U.K.
Three thousand consecutive patients undergoing patch tests were tested with a mix of benzocaine, amethocaine hydrochloride and cinchocaine hydrochloride. Eighty-four subjects (2.8%) were found to be allergic to this mix. Forty of these were patch tested with the constituents of the mix: 21 (52.5%) patients were sensitive to amethocaine hydrochloride or cinchocaine hydrochloride or both, but not to benzocaine. We recommend that a non-irritant 'caine mix' containing benzocaine, cinchocaine and amethocaine should be included in the standard patch test series for the U.K.
Beck
M H
MH
Manchester Skin Hospital, U.K.
Holden
A
A
D001566:Benzocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003992:Dibucaine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D010328:Patch Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000009:adverse effects
D013748:Tetracaine; D003992:Dibucaine; D001566:Benzocaine