Patch-test reactions to plastic and glue allergens.
Plastics and glues are common causes of occupational dermatoses, but only few reports have dealt with patch-test reactions caused by plastic and glue allergens. Patients exposed to plastics and remitted to an occupational dermatology clinic, were patch-tested with 50-53 plastic and glue allergens during a 6-year period. Conventional patch-test techniques were used. The most common causes of allergic patch-test reactions in 360 patients were novolac epoxy resin (5.1%), phenol formaldehyde resin (3.1%), 4-tert-butylcatechol (2.6%), phenyl glycidyl ether (2.6%), diaminodiphenyl methane (2.2%), benzoyl peroxide (2.2%), hexamethylene tetramine (2.0%) and o-cresyl glycidyl ether (1.6%). The allergens that most often elicited irritant patch-test reactions were: benzoyl peroxide (9.5%), abitol alcohol (3.6%), hydroquinone (3.1%), acid-catalyzed phenol formaldehyde resin (2.5%) and toluene diisocyanate (1.9%). Twenty-six out of 53 chemicals caused no allergic reaction during the 6-year period. Plastic allergens in the standard series provoked allergic reactions with formaldehyde (5.8%), diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (3.2%), 4-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde-resin (1.1%), toluene sulphonamide formaldehyde-resin (1.1%) and triethylenglycol diacrylate (0.4%). Although half of the plastic chemicals gave no allergic patch-test reactions during a 6-year period, with unusual allergens this low yield needs to be accepted, because otherwise rare allergies will not be detected. Also a negative reaction has diagnostic value.
Kanerva
L
L
Section of Dermatology, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki.
Jolanki
R
R
Alanko
K
K
Estlander
T
T
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000009:adverse effects; D000269:Adhesives / Q000009:adverse effects; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000009:adverse effects; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010969:Plastics / Q000009:adverse effects
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000269:Adhesives; D000485:Allergens; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D010969:Plastics