Changing trends of contact allergens: A 40-year retrospective study from a referral centre in northern Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The common contact allergens may change over time as the environmental exposure changes. OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence rates and changing trends of contact allergens in Taiwan over a 40-year period. MATERIALS & METHODS: The patch testing results of a referral centre from 1978 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The study population was divided into four groups according to 10-year intervals. The prevalence rates of contact sensitization to each agent and the clinical relevance were analysed. For patients with positive reactions to relevant allergens, the occupations and sites of dermatitis were analysed. RESULTS: From 1978 to 2018, a total of 4005 patients underwent patch testing. Successively increasing trends of positive reactions to cobalt, fragrance mix I, and para-phenylenediamine (PPD) were found. Methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) was an emerging contact allergen. Hairdressers, cosmetologists, and aromatherapists became the occupations most commonly having positive reactions in the most recent 10 years. In the first two decades, the face and neck were the most commonly affected areas. Later, hands became the most commonly affected sites. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rates of positive reactions to cobalt, fragrance mix I, and PPD increased successively. MCI/MI was an emerging contact allergen of special concern.

Combination of OipA, BabA, and SabA as candidate biomarkers for predicting Helicobacter pylori-related gastric cancer.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection is a major cause of chronic gastritis and is highly related to duodenal ulcer (DU) and gastric cancer (GC). To identify H. pylori-related GC biomarkers with high seropositivity in GC patients, differences in levels of protein expression between H. pylori from GC and DU patients were analyzed by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). In total, 99 proteins showed increased expression (>1.5-fold) in GC patients compared to DU patients, and 40 of these proteins were categorized by KEGG pathway. The four human disease-related adhesin identified, AlpA, OipA, BabA, and SabA, were potential GC-related antigens, with a higher seropositivity in GC patients (n = 76) than in non-GC patients (n = 100). Discrimination between GC and non-GC patients was improved using multiple antigens, with an odds ratio of 9.16 (95% CI, 2.99-28.07; p < 0.0001) for three antigens recognized. The optimized combination of OipA, BabA, and SabA gave a 77.3% correct prediction rate. A GC-related protein microarray was further developed using these antigens. The combination of OipA, BabA, and SabA showed significant improvement in the diagnostic accuracy and the protein microarray containing above antigens should provide a rapid and convenient diagnosis of H. pylori-associated GC.