title: Patch testing with formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasers: multicentre study in Spain (2005-2009).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasers are common causes of allergic contact dermatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of sensitization to formaldehyde and seven formaldehyde-releasers. To establish and characterize groups of patients according to the results of patch testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a 5-year retrospective study, in six Spanish hospitals, of patients with positive patch test reactions to formaldehyde or any of seven formaldehyde-releasers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequent allergens were formaldehyde (1.72%), imidazolidinyl urea (1.05%), quaternium-15 (0.88%), and diazolidinyl urea (0.79%). Patients with sensitization to only formaldehyde had a higher frequency of occupational dermatitis (25%) than patients with sensitization to only formaldehyde-releasers (9.5%). The most common sites of dermatitis were the hands (31.7%) in patients with sensitization to only formaldehyde and the face and legs (31.3% and 24.6%) in patients with sensitization to only formaldehyde-releasers. We found a subgroup of 25 patients who were sensitized to both imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea, and only 6 of these (24%) were also sensitized to formaldehyde.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inclusion of imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea in the baseline series of the Spanish Contact Dermatitis and Skin Allergy Research Group (GEIDAC) should enable better classification of patients allergic to formaldehyde, and could aid in their management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, 03010 Alicante, Spain. nuria_latorre_martinez@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.forename: Leopoldo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fernández-Redondo
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: García-Bravo
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Giménez-Arnau
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Silvestre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000209:etiology; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006827:Hydantoins / Q000009:adverse effects; D007868:Leg Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008709:Methenamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010328:Patch Tests; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D014227:Triazines / Q000009:adverse effects; D014508:Urea / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D006827:Hydantoins; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D014227:Triazines; D005557:Formaldehyde; C011835:Grotan BK; C006827:bronopol; D014508:Urea; C056057:1,3-dimethylol-5,5-dimethylhydantoin; C018375:quaternium-15; C044982:diazolidinylurea; D008709:Methenamine; C006048:imidazolidinyl urea