Abstract: Background:
Patch testing is gold standard for identifying the source of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).
Objective:
To report patch testing results from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Occupational and Contact Dermatitis Clinic from 2017 to 2022.
Methods:
Retrospective analysis of patients referred to MGH for patch testing, 2017–2022.
Results:
In total, 1438 patients were included. At least 1 positive patch test (PPT) reaction was observed in 1168 (81.2%) patients and at least 1 relevant PPT reaction was observed in 1087 (75.6%) patients. The most common allergen with a PPT was nickel (21.5%), followed by hydroperoxides of linalool (20.4%) and balsam of Peru (11.5%). Sensitization rates statistically increased over time for propylene glycol and decreased for 12 other allergens (all P values <0.0004).
Limitations:
Retrospective design, single institution tertiary referral population, and variations in allergens and suppliers across the study period.
Conclusion:
The field of ACD is constantly evolving. Regular analysis of patch test data is crucial to identify emerging and diminishing contact allergen trends.
Supplementary Material
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