Occupational dermatoses in health care workers evaluated for suspected allergic contact dermatitis.
BACKGROUND
Occupational skin diseases, including allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), irritant contact dermatitis, and allergic contact urticaria (ACU), occur commonly among health care workers (HCWs).


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the aetiology of the various skin diseases afflicting HCWs evaluated for suspicion of ACD and/or ACU and to identify the most common allergens among HCWs found to have ACD and/or ACU.


METHODS
A total of 1434 patients underwent patch testing. The demographic data and most common allergens for HCWs (n = 100) and non-HCWS (n = 1334) were compared.


RESULTS
HCWs were statistically more likely than non-HCWS to be female, have hand dermatitis, and have a history of atopy. HCWs were also more likely to have work-related ACD especially to quaternium-15, thiuram, carba mix, glutaraldehyde and benzalkonium chloride, and to have ACU to latex.


CONCLUSIONS
This study was retrospective and is subject to the resultant biases of all such investigations. Only patients suspected of having ACD and who underwent patch testing are included in our database. The prevalence of ACD and ACU is likely to be higher than that seen in the general HCW population.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results underscore the importance of thoroughly evaluating HCWs for ACD and ACU with the use of expanded standard allergen series and prick or radioallergosorbent testing to latex.
Suneja
Tina
T
Department of Medicine (Dermatology), University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA. toffee108@gmail.com
Belsito
Donald V
DV
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000453:epidemiology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010328:Patch Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014581:Urticaria / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology
D000485:Allergens