Basal electrical impedance in relation to sodium lauryl sulphate-induced skin reactions--a comparison of patients with eczema and healthy controls.
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.
Kuzmina
Natalia
N
Department of Medicine, Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Karolinska Institutet at Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Natalia.Kuzmina@medhs.ki.se
Hagströmer
Lena
L
Nyrén
Miruna
M
Emtestam
Lennart
L
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
D007509:Irritants; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate