Contact Dermatitis, cilt.85, sa.2, ss.198-210, 2021 (SCI-Expanded)
Background: A European pediatric patch test series was suggested recently. Objectives: To evaluate the patch test results in children (<10-years-old) and adolescents (10- to 18-years-old) in Turkey, focusing on the clinical/occupational relevance and the diagnostic value of the recently suggested series. Patients and Methods: A retrospective cohort study on 317 consecutively patch tested patients ≤18 years of age, between 1996 and 2017. Results: The contact sensitization rate was 46.1%. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) was diagnosed in 30.9%, comprising non-occupational (84.7%) and occupational (15.3%) ACD. Nickel was the leading allergen in almost every age group. Methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) was the clinically most relevant allergen, followed by p-phenylenediamine (PPD), ammonium persulfate, fragrance mix I, nickel sulfate, and mercury/mercury(II)amidochloride. Occupational ACD was most frequently seen in hairdresser apprentices (adolescents only) who were sensitized with PPD ± ammonium persulfate. ACD from MCI/MI increased to 5-fold, ammonium persulfate and mercurial compounds to 2-fold, and PPD to 1.7-fold after 2007. Almost one third of patients would be missed by testing only with the recommended allergens. Conclusions: For patch testing in Turkish children and adolescents, we suggest additionally testing with ammonium persulfate, mercury/mercury(II)amidochloride, toluenesulfonamide formaldehyde resin, and polyethylene glycol, the latter as a marker for nitrofurazone allergy, in appropriate patients.