title: Patch test results with rubber series in the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA), 2013/14.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contact allergy to rubber additives is common, particularly in patients with occupational dermatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To descriptively analyse and compare patch test reactions in patients patch tested both with the baseline series and with an additional 'rubber series' as used in the department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patch test data from those members of the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA) network (www.essca-dc.org) who also contributed data on rubber series patch test results were retrospectively analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 29 522 patients patch tested, 2870 were eligible, that is, patch tested both with the baseline series and with a special rubber series. Of these, 8.8% had positive reaction(s) to one of the baseline screening rubber allergens (as compared with 4.2% in all patients), most often to carba mix, 12.3% had positive reaction(s) to allergens from an additional rubber series, and 6.4% had positive reaction(s) to both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional testing with a dedicated rubber series, containing break-down single ingredients of mixes from the baseline series and additional rubber allergens, is warranted in patients with suspected contact allergy to rubber, to avoid false-negative results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Erlangen/Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4498-3710
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uter
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Chapel Allerton Hospital, LS7 4SA, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Warburton
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Social Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weisshaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zürich, 8091, Zürich, Switzerland.|Centre for Dermatology and Allergology, Kantonsspital Luzern, 2016, Luzern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ballmer-Weber
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Allergy Unit, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mahler
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Chapel Allerton Hospital, LS7 4SA, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods*; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: clinical epidemiology; contact sensitization; patch test; rubber chemicals