LATEX sensitization in elderly: allergological study and diagnostic protocol

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.