Abstract
Between 1985 and 1989 nearly 5,000 patients with suspect allergic contact dermatitis were patch tested in a multicenter study in North America. Women were overrepresented in the under age 40 years category whereas men predominated after age 40. Allergic contact dermatitis was more common in those over 40 whereas irritant contact dermatitis and occupational dermatitis were more common in patients under age 40. Hand and foot involvement was more common in patients under age 40 whereas generalized dermatitis predominated in patients over age 40. Except for nickel, there was a trend to all patch test substances producing more positive responses in those over 40 years of age. The older patients exhibited significantly more frequent patch test responses to benzocaine, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, paraphenylenediamine, neomycin, formaldehyde, ethylenediamine dihydrochloride, and balsam of Peru.
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