Contact Dermatitis Associated With Hair Care Products: A Retrospective Analysis of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group Data, 2001-2016.

BACKGROUND: Hair care products (HCPs) may cause both allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and irritant contact dermatitis (ICD). OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of HCP-associated ICD/ACD and to characterize relevant allergens. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) patch test data, 2001-2016. RESULTS: Of 38,775 patients tested, 3481 (9.0%) had positive patch test reactions associated with HCPs. The HCP-positive patients were significantly more likely to be female (79.9% vs 66.0%) and/or have primary sites of dermatitis on the face (32.0% vs 27.8%) or scalp (15.4% vs 2.2%) compared with the HCP-negative patients (P < 0.0001). Of 4908 HCP-associated positive patch test reactions, 86.9% (n = 4263) were due to allergens on the NACDG screening series; p-phenylenediamine (35.8%), methylisothiazolinone (9.7%), methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (8.7%), and cocamidopropyl betaine (5.9%) were the most frequent. Most reactions (87.7%, 3736/4263) were currently clinically relevant. The most common job associated with 366 occupationally related NACDG HCP-associated allergens was hairdresser/cosmetologist (71.9%). Two hundred eighty-two patients (0.7%) had ICD associated with HCPs. Shampoo/conditioners were the most frequent source of NACDG HCP-associated reactions (47.3%) and HCP-associated ICD (45.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Of the HCP-positive patients, 18.5% had HCP reactions to allergens not on the NACDG screening series, underscoring the importance of patch testing to expanded series in patients suspected of HCP allergy.

The tissue viability imaging system-Suitable method for discovering minimal skin changes in occupational screenings? Results of a cross-sectional field study.

BACKGROUND: For early detection of initial skin changes in occupational screenings, only few objective assessment systems are available. OBJECTIVES: With the aim of assessing an objective measurement method for hand eczema, we trialed the application of the tissue viability imaging (TiVi) system, quantifying erythema non-invasively by polarized light spectroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a field study with 625 employees of a semiconductor production company, 411 were exposed to prolonged wearing of occlusive gloves in the clean room. TiVi system and Hand Eczema Score for Occupational Screenings (HEROS), a quantitative skin score for the hands, were used, supplemented by a standardized personal interview. RESULTS: TiVi values of 65 up to 246 for each hand (palm or back), for each participant summed to overall 289 up to 848 (median 389), were measured. Higher TiVi values were noted for men, smokers, and with increasing age. Correlation between TiVi and HEROS was only weak. Several factors like skin pigmentation, thickness of the skin, or tattoos seem to influence TiVi results. CONCLUSIONS: The practical relevance of one-time measurements with the TiVi system in occupational screenings seems to be limited. Specifically, the TiVi system cannot replace dermatological examinations at the workplace. Notwithstanding, the application for other scientific purposes might be useful.

Occupational contact allergy to omeprazole and ranitidine.

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibition and ranitidine is an H2 histamine receptor antagonist widely used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflex disease, peptic ulcer disease, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and as a protector of the gastric mucosae. We report a case of occupational contact allergy to omeprazole and ranitidine. A 48-year-old man, with no pre-existing history of atopy or lifestyle factors. He neither had any medical history of consumption of drugs such as ranitidine and omeprazole. He worked for 19 months in the pharmaceutical company that manufactured ranitidine base. He presented rash in the face and eczema on the dorsum of the hands with itching. The study by prick tests with ranitidine gave negative response. Patch testing with ranitidine base and ranitidine hydrochloride gave positive response. A month later, when the patient was asymptomatic he returned to the pharmaceutical company, being switched from this previous job to the reactor manufacturing omeprazole. A few days after that, he presented erythematous eruptions involving face and neck with itching. Prick tests, path tests and in vitro laboratories studies with omeprazole gave positives. In this case the patient presented hypersensitivity type I at omeprazole and hypersensitivity type IV at omeprazole and ranitidine. Our aportation indicates the importance of careful analysis of the occupational exposure histories of patients with the suspected type I or type IV hypersensitivity to allergens, to determine whether work exposure is the cause. Med Pr 2017;68(3):433-435.

["Glass hands"--a new occupationally-induced syndrome]. / "Glashände"--ein neues berufsbedingtes Syndrom.

The results of clinical treatment of a non-typical and specific skin disease are presented. The disease results from penetration of tiny glass needles into skin of the workers in a fluorescent lamp factory. The non-visible penetration of glass needles into skin is underlined and the possibility of applying radiological tests to detect these elements is discussed. The presence of glass needles in the skin, in various depths 10 or 15 years after penetration has been revealed by means of control tomograph tests.