Maria Lagrelius1,2, Carl-Fredrik Wahlgren3, Mihály Matura1,2, Inger Kull4,5, Carola Lidén1. 1. Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden. 2. Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, SE-113 65, Stockholm, Sweden. 3. Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. Department of Clinical Science and Education, Stockholm South General Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, SE-118 83, Stockholm, Sweden. 5. Sachs' Children's Hospital, SE-118 83, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Contact allergy is common among adults. However, little is known about the prevalence in adolescents. OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of allergy to common contact allergens in Swedish adolescents in the general population. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The BAMSE cohort is a population-based birth cohort with the main aim of studying the risk factors for asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Patch testing was performed at the 16-year follow-up. The test (TRUE Test(®) ) was applied at home, and removed 2 days later by nurses, who recorded and photographed the results. Dermatologists made final assessments on the basis of photographs and protocols. RESULTS: Two thousand two hundred and eighty-five participants (88% of all 16-year follow-up participants) were patch tested; 15.3% had at least one positive reaction. Contact allergy was more common in girls than in boys (17.0% versus 13.4%, p = 0.018). Sensitization to nickel was most common (7.5%), followed by sensitization to fragrance mix I (2.1%) and p-tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin (1.9%). Nickel allergy was more frequent in girls (9.8% versus 4.9%, p < 0.001). Solitary sensitization to cobalt was more common than co-sensitization to nickel and cobalt. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of contact allergy in adolescents is of almost the same high magnitude as in adults. The applied method was feasible in the population-based setting.
BACKGROUND: Contact allergy is common among adults. However, little is known about the prevalence in adolescents. OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of allergy to common contact allergens in Swedish adolescents in the general population. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The BAMSE cohort is a population-based birth cohort with the main aim of studying the risk factors for asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Patch testing was performed at the 16-year follow-up. The test (TRUE Test(®) ) was applied at home, and removed 2 days later by nurses, who recorded and photographed the results. Dermatologists made final assessments on the basis of photographs and protocols. RESULTS: Two thousand two hundred and eighty-five participants (88% of all 16-year follow-up participants) were patch tested; 15.3% had at least one positive reaction. Contact allergy was more common in girls than in boys (17.0% versus 13.4%, p = 0.018). Sensitization to nickel was most common (7.5%), followed by sensitization to fragrance mix I (2.1%) and p-tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin (1.9%). Nickelallergy was more frequent in girls (9.8% versus 4.9%, p < 0.001). Solitary sensitization to cobalt was more common than co-sensitization to nickel and cobalt. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of contact allergy in adolescents is of almost the same high magnitude as in adults. The applied method was feasible in the population-based setting.
Authors: Laura Kolberg; Felix Forster; Jessica Gerlich; Gudrun Weinmayr; Jon Genuneit; Doris Windstetter; Christian Vogelberg; Erika von Mutius; Dennis Nowak; Hans Drexler; Torsten Schäfer; Katja Radon Journal: ERJ Open Res Date: 2020-02-03