title: Allergic contact dermatitis from medical adhesive bandages in patients who report having a reaction to medical bandages.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medical adhesive bandages are extensively used in both inpatient and outpatient medicine. However, few reports describing proven allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from medical adhesive bandages exist in the literature. These reports do not adequately correspond to the frequency that patients report having an "allergy" to medical adhesive bandages.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if there is a chemical present in medical adhesive bandages that causes ACD in people who identify themselves as having an "allergy" to medical adhesive bandages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients were enrolled and underwent patch testing with our standard trays (104 chemicals) and a customized adhesive tray (54 chemicals and 10 tapes and bandages in their whole form).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to identify an allergen in four patients that was related to their presumed adhesive allergy (Mastisol, neomycin/bacitracin [two different patients], and cortisone-10 cream, respectively). However, there were no positive allergic reactions to the tapes or bandages or any relevant allergic reactions to our customized adhesive tray. Eight (73%) of the 11 patients who had the bandage or tape left on for 7 days had an irritant reaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We feel that the perceived reactions are not secondary to ACD but instead are due to an irritant contact dermatitis.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA. twidman@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Travis J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Widman
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oostman
authors.forename: Frances J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Storrs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000009:adverse effects; D001458:Bandages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001684:Biological Dressings / Q000009:adverse effects; D003348:Cortisone / Q000009:adverse effects; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D000069997:Mastic Resin; D008875:Middle Aged; D009355:Neomycin / Q000009:adverse effects; D009779:Occlusive Dressings / Q000009:adverse effects; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000069997:Mastic Resin; D012116:Resins, Plant; D001414:Bacitracin; D009355:Neomycin; D003348:Cortisone