title: An audit to identify the optimum referral rate to a contact dermatitis investigation unit.
abstract: The principle of patch testing is to identify individuals with a contact allergy of relevance to their disorder and to provide avoidance advice in an attempt to improve or resolve their condition. We aimed to define an optimum referral rate to a centralized contact dermatitis unit using a retrospective analysis of data relating to 10 consultants. The results showed no significant difference (P = 0.21) in the percentage of relevant positive individuals identified between the consultants. However, a linear relationship (r = 0.99) was seen between the number of relevant positive allergic reactions and the number referred by individual consultants. We propose that the minimal annual referral rate for patch testing from a predominately urban population in a developed country is one in 700 of the population.
authors.affiliation: Contact Dermatitis Investigation Unit, Department of Dermatology, Hope Hospital, Salford M6 8HD, UK. mbhushan@fs1.ho.man.ac,uk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhushan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Beck
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003880:Dermatology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010328:Patch Tests; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014505:Urban Population