title: LATEX sensitization in elderly: allergological study and diagnostic protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of latex allergy varies according to the population studied from 3% to 64%. No data exist in the present literature about elderly people because they were not considered among populations at risk. We report a retrospective observational study of 88 elderly patients of our centre of Dermatology and Allergology at Policlinico Umberto I, University of Rome, Sapienza.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First and second level diagnostic tests showed latex positivity in 11,4% of patients studied for latex allergy in the elderly population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates a prevalence of elderly-latex sensitization of 11,4%, showing that allergy to latex is a growing disease that can occur at any age. So, we propose these patients as an additional risk category for latex allergy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Faina
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dies
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milana
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calvieri
keywords: Allergological study; Elderly; Latex allergy