title: Basal electrical impedance in relation to sodium lauryl sulphate-induced skin reactions--a comparison of patients with eczema and healthy controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of subjects at risk for contact dermatitis by screening tests is desirable in order to adjust the preventive measures to individual skin susceptibility. The present study aimed to examine the effects of basic physiological features, such as baseline electrical impedance (IMP) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL), on reactivity to sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS).
  
  
  METHODS
  On the basis of two previous studies, we re-evaluated the experimental irritant skin reactions (50 microL of 2% SLS in large Finn Chambers for 24 h) on the volar forearms of 29 patients with eczema and 19 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found definite differences in the baseline values of IMP, between the patients and the controls. Moreover, patients with eczema showed higher TEWL and lower MIX values on day 3 after exposure to SLS, which may indicate differences in SLS reactivity. After the study, the biophysical parameters of the eczema patients did not return to baseline, which suggests that their skin heals more slowly than that of normal subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that the IMP technique may help to 'detect' chemically vulnerable skin. However, more studies are needed to determine the value of the basal electrical impedance parameters in assessing the risk of developing irritant contact dermatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Karolinska Institutet at Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Natalia.Kuzmina@medhs.ki.se
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuzmina
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hagströmer
authors.forename: Miruna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nyrén
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Emtestam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004485:Eczema / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible
chemical_list: D007509:Irritants; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate