title: The MOAHLFA index of irritant sodium lauryl sulfate reactions: first results of a multicentre study on routine sodium lauryl sulfate patch testing.
abstract: In a multicentre study of the German Contact Dermatitis Research Group, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) 0.25% and 0.5% aq. has been added to routine allergen patch tests to assess its properties as a convenient diagnostic indicator of individual susceptibility to irritation at the time of patch testing. Previous studies indicated that irritant SLS reactivity may be related to individual factors such as age and sex. As these factors are, in turn, among the important predictors of contact allergy to many allergens, e.g. summarized in the 'MOAHLFA index', the impact of the MOAHLFA factors on irritant SLS patch test reactivity, and thus a potential for confounding, was assessed in the 5971 participating patients. As a result of 2 logistic regression analyses with an irritant reaction to 0.25% and 0.5% SLS, respectively, as outcome, male sex was identified as a relatively weak but significant risk factor (OR 1.38), while age 40 years or older was an even weaker risk factor (OR 1.22 and 1.15, respectively). Upon detailed analysis, no clear age gradient could, however, be identified. 1-day exposure time almost halved the odds of an irritant SLS reaction. In conclusion, this type of SLS patch test can be regarded as robust, indicating individual irritability relatively independent from the individual factors analysed here.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Waldstr. 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. wolfgang.uter@rzmail.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uter
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brasch
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Löffler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000145:classification; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000145:classification*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000145:classification; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007868:Leg Dermatoses / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D010328:Patch Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007509:Irritants; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate