Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2024 Apr;12(2):85-92. 10.4168/aard.2024.12.2.85.

Analysis of patch test results in patients with suspected contact dermatitis in the Busan area

• Kim G
• Park CS
• Oh JH
• Kim HK
• Choi GS

• KMID: 2555659
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2024.12.2.85

Abstract

Purpose
Contact dermatitis (CD) is a common skin disease caused by various allergens that can be identified by patch test (PT). Despite the analysis of PT outcomes in various regions of Korea, no specific investigation has targeted the Busan area. We aimed to analyze PT results using Chemotechnique in patients suspected of CD in Busan.
Methods
We reviewed medical records of 273 patients who underwent PT between 2019 and 2020 at two university hospitals in Busan. PT results were interpreted according to the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group criteria.
Results
Among the patients, 86.4% exhibited positive reactions to at least one allergen. Those with positive outcomes displayed a higher comorbidity rate of chronic urticaria but a lower rate of atopic dermatitis. Moreover, they reported higher positivity rates to questions about sexual life and treatment on the Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire. Major allergens in Busan were cobalt chloride (60.1%), nickel sulfate (52.0%), and potassium dichromate (50.9%), followed by thiomersal, balsam of Peru, and fragrance mix (17.2%, 15.4%, and 13.9%, respectively). Captan, budesonide, and colophony were more prevalent allergens in males. While the positive rate for thiomersal were higher in the younger age group, balsam of Peru allergen was higher in the older age group.
Conclusion
This study represents the first PT analysis conducted in Busan, revealing metal-related allergen as the most common cause of CD, with variations observed across sex and age. Further research is needed to validate these findings and elucidate the sources and pathways of allergen exposure in Busan.

Keyword

Contact dermatitis; Patch test; Allergen