title: Contact allergy to reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A resin (DGEBA-R) is the most common sensitizer in epoxy systems, but a minority of patients also develop contact allergy to reactive diluents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the frequency and clinical relevance of allergic reactions to different epoxy reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins.
  
  
  METHODS
  Test files (January 1991 to June 2014) were screened, and the clinical records of patients with allergic reactions were analysed for occupation, concomitant allergic reactions, and exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 67 patients reacted to at least one of the compounds. The largest numbers of allergic reactions were to phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE; n = 41), 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE; n = 34), and p-tert-butylphenyl glycidyl ether (PTBPGE; n = 19). Ten of the patients did not have contact allergy to DGEBA-R. The reactions of 5 of these were related to the use of BDDGE-containing products. We found no significant exposure to PGE or PTBPGE in patients sensitized to them, but some of the patients had used cresyl glycidyl ether-containing products.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allergic reactions to reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins usually occurred together with reactions to DGEBA-R. BDDGE was the clinically most significant compound, and was the sole cause of occupational allergic contact dermatitis in 3 patients.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Medicine, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), 00250, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aalto-Korte
authors.affiliation: Occupational Medicine, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), 00250, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Outi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kuuliala
authors.affiliation: Occupational Hygiene, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), 20520, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Maj-Len
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Henriks-Eckerman
authors.affiliation: Occupational Medicine, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), 00250, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suuronen
mesh_terms: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D002072:Butylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D010328:Patch Tests; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D002072:Butylene Glycols; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; C020344:glycidyl ethers; C016050:phenylglycidyl ether; C014376:1,4-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)butane; C019273:bisphenol A diglycidyl ether; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether; cresyl glycidyl ether; cycloaliphatic epoxy resins; p-tert-butylphenyl glycidyl ether; phenyl glycidyl ether