title: Does allergen-specific immunotherapy induce contact allergy to aluminium?
abstract: Persistent, itching nodules have been reported to appear at the injection site after allergen-specific immuno-therapy with aluminium-precipitated antigen extract, occasionally in conjunction with contact allergy to aluminium. This study aimed to quantify the development of contact allergy to aluminium during allergen-specific immunotherapy. A randomized, controlled, single-blind multicentre study of children and adults entering allergen-specific immunotherapy was performed using questionnaires and patch-testing. A total of 205 individuals completed the study. In the 3 study groups all subjects tested negative to aluminium before allergen-specific immunotherapy and 4 tested positive after therapy. In the control group 4 participants tested positive to aluminium. Six out of 8 who tested positive also had atopic dermatitis. Positive test results were found in 5/78 children and 3/127 adults. Allergen-specific immunotherapy was not shown to be a risk factor for contact allergy to aluminium. Among those who did develop aluminium allergy, children and those with atopic dermatitis were more highly represented.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden. eva.netterlid@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Netterlid
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hindsén
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Siemund
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Björk
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Güner
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D000535:Aluminum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000535:Aluminum