title: North American Contact Dermatitis Group patch-test results, 1998 to 2000.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patch testing is the most worthwhile diagnostic tool for the evaluation of patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study reports patch-testing results from July 1, 1998, to December 31, 2000, by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were tested with the same screening series of allergens, using a standardized patch-testing technique. The data from these patients were recorded on a standard computer entry form and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty allergens were tested on over 5,800 patients. Amidoamine, benzophenone-3, and iodopropynyl butylcarbamate were the new allergens. The top 10 allergens in frequency of positive reactions were identical to those of our 1996-to 1998-study period. The incidence of allergic nickel reactions continues to go up, leading all the test substances by 16.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings reinforce the need for a more comprehensive group of diagnostic allergens than is found in the T.R.U.E. TEST, which is sold in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA.
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Donald V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Belsito
authors.forename: Vincent A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: DeLeo
authors.forename: Joseph F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Anthony F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fransway
authors.forename: Howard I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Maibach
authors.forename: C G Toby
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Mathias
authors.forename: Melanie D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rietschel
authors.forename: Elizabeth F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Sherertz
authors.forename: Frances J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Storrs
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens