Contact dermatitis caused by intermediate products in the manufacture of clenbuterol, ranitidine base, and ranitidine hydrochloride.

Clenbuterol, a beta antagonist, and ranitidine, a histamine-receptor antagonist, were associated with contact dermatitis in a chemist. The allergen in the former was an intermediate in the synthesis called beta. In the latter, intermediates and the finished base and hydrochloride were responsible.

[Dry hands (irritative contact dermatitis) in housewives which is not alleviated on cessation of domestic work: clinical varieties]. / Manos secas (dermatitis de contacto irritativa) del ama de casa que no curan al cesar en el trabajo doméstico: variedades clínicas.

There are three types of hand dermatitis in housewives. The most usual are cured when housework is stopped. Another type is that of housewife contact dermatitis which appears on pre-existing endogenous lesions such as dyshidrosis or nummular eczema. The third form is housewife hand contact dermatitis which appears, or coexists with, localized endogenous lesions of the hands. The last two forms are not cured when housework is stopped. In some cases the three forms may coexist or appear one after another. It is not usual for a person suffering from typical flexural atopic dermatitis to present with one of the described three forms of hand dermatitis. Nevertheless, without having some relationship to atopic diathesis no woman could suffer from any of these three forms of dermatitis. In spite of the lack of analytical data, everyday clinical facts (one example being these different forms of housewife hand dermatitis) suggest the need to accept a subgroup of cutaneous atopic diathesis.

[Footwear contact dermatitis. 11-years' experience]. / Dermatitis de contacto al calzado. Once años de experiencia.

A clinical review of footwear contact dermatitis is made. The battery of contact allergens for the patch test is proposed. A review of the cases studied in the Department during the last 11 years is presented. In approximately 25 per cent of typically clinical cases it is not possible to establish the exact cause of the contact allergy.

[Contact dermatitis caused by plastic pockets on trouser]. / Dermatitis de contacto por bolsillos de plástico de pantalones

An hitherto undescribed type of contact dermatitis in a series of 16 patients is described by the authors. The lesions were localized in the anterior and anterolateral aspects of the thighs and were sharply limited in the area contacting the trouser pockets, manufactured with synthetic fabrics. In 17 patients of this series there was a concomitant dermatitis in the exposed areas of the face and hands. The authors described the processing in the manufacture of these pockets, the end step being the obtention of poliamide, through different precursor substances. The poliamide is treated with different aditives giving rise to the nylon fiber, which is used to manufacture the definitive tissue. A list of adequate allergens and their concentrations used in the 16 patients is given in the paper. The results of the patch tests and the fact that all the clinical symptoms of the patients disappeared after the withdrawal of the tissue pockets and substitution by cotton tissue give a reasonable basis to the hypothesis of contact dermatitis caused by this tissue. However, the true specific allergen is not demonstrated yet.

[Acne and contact dermatitis]. / Acné y dermatitis de contacto.

Contact dermatitis in patients suffering acne is raising. These reactions are provoked by different sensitizing substances used in the treatment of acne. The Authors review the diverse possibilities of sensitisation in acne patients: contact dermatitis, primary irritation, photoallergy and phototoxicity, and "dermatitis by general administration of the allergen". The diverse acneiform contact dermatitis are reviewed and classified. The importance of acne venenata or contact acne--professional or no--, and different acneiform contact eruptions or by ingestion, is emphasized.

[Contact dermatitis caused by nickel]. / Dermatitis de contacto por níquel.

This paper attempts to explain the initial onset in which the population are sensitized to nickel at an early age, above all in females. A study has been made on 200 controls who tolerated metals and on 964 patents who did not tolerate them. The study comprised of patch tests with 8 distinct washers, made of a variety of metals and alloys all containing nickel, and with nickel sulphate to 1% in petrolatum and cobalt salts to 1% in petrolatum. The results, professional and atopic relationship and other considerations are commented.

[Contact dermatitis caused by perfumes and essences contained in various preparations for topical use]. / Dermatitis de contacto por perfumes o esencias contenidos en diferentes preparaciones de uso tópico.

Regarding two cases of allergic contact dermatitis caused by geraniol, containing in two different pharmaceutical products, a revision has been made of the preparations of topical application which contain this and other fragrances. At the same time the clinical picture and examination of these cause is reported.

[Contact dermatitis caused by Septopal]. / Dermatitis de contacto por Septopal.

A man affected of a femur osteomyelitis was treated with Septopal (Merck) and presented an allergic contact dermatitis on the left thigh, thorax, abdomen with bilateral oedema of eyelids and generalized pruritus. The cause was a co-polymer of methyl-methacrylate-methacrylate of the material of the small balls of Septopal, which liberates gentamycin contained inside through little pores.

[The concept of cryptic cutaneous atopy in contact reactions. Considerations on the clinical control over the subgroup of patients with frustrated cutaneous atopy]. / El concepto de criptoatopia cutánea en las reacciones de contacto. Consideraciones de orden clínico sobre el subgrupo de la atopia cutánea frustre.

Contact dermatitis, allergic or irritative, is not distributed by chance among the general population, but appears in a determined group of patients. The clinical and anamnestic picture of this group of patients (and that of their close blood relatives) is described. Clinical facts lead us to consider that group of patients as a subgroup of cutaneous atopy. The medical-legal importance which the acceptance of this type of patient could have on occupational contact dermatitis is pointed out. In contact dermatitis the factors of the person suffering the contact rather than those of the contact agents seem to be of decisive power in the response, although at the present moment, the possibility of carrying out analytical studies on the allergens and irritants is easier than on the patients who react to them.

[Prophylaxis of patients with sensitization to chrome and nickel using a cosmetic preparation for topical use]. / Profilaxis de los pacientes con sensibilización al cromo y al níquel con un preparado cosmético de utilización tópica.

Firstly we showed the reason for the choice of each product used in the preparation of this cosmetic. After this we studied "in vitro" the effect of this preparation, and "in vivo" in 25 patients sensitive to Potassium dichromate. On seeing the null effect of this preparation, owing to the oxidation of ascorbic acid, on these 25 patients, we modified the formula, substituting the ascorbic acid and EDTA, respectively, for tartaric acid and glycine. The respective tests "in vitro" and "in vivo" on 20 patients, this time showed beneficial effect of this preparation in 60% of the patients tested. Of these 60%, a 25% have continue to work exposed to the allergen (dichromate or nickel) and the other 35% have continue working with lesions controlled by habitual topic therapy. This preparation can also be used, with less effect, for nickel.

[Dermatitis caused by "Milwaukees"]. / Dermatitis por milwaukees.

The authors report five cases of a non specific clinical eruption in patients who wore "milwaukee". The lesions appeared 20 to 50 days after they begun to use the "milwaukee", in the zones where the plastic contacted their skin. Negative patch test, and microscopical studies of lesions and patch tests, suggested an irritative non allergic dermatitis.

[Contact dermatitis caused by ethylene oxide]. / Dermatitis de contracto por óxido de etileno.

A case of contract sensitization to the ethylene oxide by a mask sterilized with this substance is reported. The mask was correctly sterilized but the ethylene oxide was not completely evaporised. The path tests were positive in the patient but negative in 25 control subjects. The patch tests with the international series and with all the elements of the mask were negative. The possible troubles of ethylene oxide and the sterylisation methodes of this substance are reviewed.

[Nickel, chromium and cobalt release from a metal prosthesis in metal-sensitive patients]. / Liberación de níquel, cromo y cobalto de prótesis metálicas en pacientes sensibles a metales.

Six rejected stainless steel hip prostheses that had been removed from 15 metal sensitive patient were immersed in different solutions in various containers and maintained at 37 degrees C in complete darkness. Two months later by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometric studies we were able to determine the amount of nickel, chrome and cobalt released in a saline solution. When the chromium oxide passivation coat of the metal prostheses is damaged by orthopaedic surgical implantation procedures the prostheses may rust, releasing metallic ions.

Statistical and comparative study of 4600 patients tested in Barcelona (1973-1977).

The authors show the results obtained during the 5-year period 1973-1977 in 4600 patch tested patients in the Allergy Department of Barcelona University. The results obtained with the most common allergens (nickel sulfate, potassium dichromate, para compounds, cobalt and rubber) are studied separately. The results of testing with the allergens with a low incidence of positives are also shown. The results are compared with those published by the NACDG on 1200 patients and by Brun in Geneva on 1000 patients; 5.02% of the tested patients showed sensitization to benzidine.