Screening for skin-sensitizing allergens among patients with clinically suspected allergic contact dermatitis

OBJECTIVES: To detect common skin-sensitizing agents among patients experiencing allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 152 patients with clinically suspected ACD who underwent patch testing in an allergy clinic at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2012 and February 2015. Of these patients, only 74 (48%) patients reacted to one or more contact allergens. This group of patients included 58 (78.4%) women and 16 (21.6%) men (mean age: 37.8±13.8 years). Patch testing was performed using the thin-layer rapid-use epicutaneous patch test panels. RESULTS: Nickel sulfate was the most common sensitizing agent, with 26 (35.1%) patients yielding a positive result; followed by p-phenylenediamine in 17 (22.9%), butyl-tetra-phenol formaldehyde in 12 (16.2%), gold sodium thiosulfate in 10 (13.5%), and thimerosal in 6 (8.1%) patients. Nickel reactivity was significantly higher among women (41.4%) than among men (12.5%) (p<0.0001). Similarly, gold reactivity among women (15.5%) was also higher than among men (6.2%) (p≤0.02). CONCLUSION: The high level of skin sensitization due to nickel, PPD, and gold in patients with ACD emphasizes the need for measures to decrease exposure to these sensitizing agents.