title: Gold concentration in blood in relation to the number of gold restorations and contact allergy to gold.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated an association between gold allergy and the presence of dental gold restorations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the concentration of gold in blood (B-Au) and the number of tooth surfaces with gold alloys in subjects with and without contact allergy to gold. In 80 patients referred for patch testing because of eczematous disease, blood samples were taken and analyzed for B-Au using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The detection limit for the Au determination was 0.04 microg/L. In addition, a dentist made a clinical and radiological examination of the patients and registered the number of dental gold surfaces. Patients with dental gold restorations had a statistically significantly higher B-Au in Mann-Whitney U test (P = 0.025), (range < 0.04-1.07 microg/L) than patients without (range < 0.04-0.15 microg/L). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between B-Au and the number of dental gold surfaces (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in B-Au between persons with and without contact allergy to gold. The study thus indicates that gold is released from dental restorations and taken tip into the circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden. ingela.ahnlide@derm.mas.lu.se
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahnlide
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahlgren
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Björkner
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruze
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lundh
authors.forename: Halvor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Krister
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nilner
authors.forename: Andrejs
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schütz
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000145:classification; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000097:blood*; D006047:Gold Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D003188:Composite Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D006047:Gold Alloys; D006046:Gold; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D014025:Titanium