Type IV allergy to rubber additives: a 10-year study of 686 cases.
BACKGROUND
Rubber additives, mainly vulcanizers and antioxidants, are increasingly a cause of contact dermatitis.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of type IV allergy to rubber additives.


METHODS
Seven thousand patients seen during a 10-year period were evaluated. Of them, 4680 were patch tested with the standard series recommended by the Spanish Group for Research of Contact Dermatitis (GEIDC) and a series of individual rubber additives.


RESULTS
A total of 686 patients (14.7% of those patch tested) had one or more positive reactions to rubber additives. Of these, 582 (84.8%) were men and 104 (15.2%) were women. The incidence of rubber sensitization was especially high among construction workers (47.0%).


CONCLUSIONS
Rubber additives are a common cause of occupational contact dermatitis, particularly in construction workers. We postulate that rubber gloves and boots (utilized to avoid contact with sensitizing substances) themselves may be a common cause of contact dermatitis. The high incidence of allergy to some rubber additives, such as thiurams and carbas, indicates that their replacement by other less sensitizing vulcanizers is advisable.
Conde-Salazar
L
L
Division of Occupational Dermatology, National Institute of Occupational Medicine, Madrid, Spain.
del-Río
E
E
Guimaraens
D
D
González Domingo
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012408:Rubber / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D000975:Antioxidants; D012408:Rubber