title: Oral prednisone suppresses allergic but not irritant patch test reactions in individuals hypersensitive to nickel.
abstract: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, crossover study was designed to investigate the effects of prednisone on allergic and irritant patch test reactions. 24 subjects with known allergy to nickel were recruited and patch tested with a nickel sulfate dilution series in aqueous solution, 5% nickel sulfate in petrolatum and 2 dilution series of the irritants nonanoic acid and sodium lauryl sulfate. The subjects were tested x2, both during treatment with prednisone 20 mg oral daily and during placebo treatment. The total number of positive nickel patch test reactions decreased significantly in patients during prednisone treatment. The threshold concentration to elicit a patch test reaction increased and the overall degree of reactivity to nickel sulfate shifted towards weaker reactions. The effect of prednisone treatment on the response to irritants was divergent with both increased and decreased numbers of reactions, although there were no statistically significant differences compared with placebo. It is concluded that oral treatment with prednisone suppresses patch test reactivity to nickel, but not to the irritants tested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Centre for Public Health, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ingegärd
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Anveden
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindberg
authors.forename: Klaus E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruze
authors.forename: Marléne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isaksson
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liden
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sommerlund
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wahlberg
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000485:Allergens; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants; D008297:Male; D009532:Nickel; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007509:Irritants; C029938:nickel sulfate; D009532:Nickel; D011241:Prednisone