Diagnosing lanolin contact allergy with lanolin alcohol and Amerchol L101.

Background: The prevalence of lanolin contact allergy in dermatitis patients varies from 1.2% to 6.9%.

Photopatch testing: recommendations for a European photopatch test baseline series.

In order to establish a consensus recommendation for performing photopatch testing, a photopatch test taskforce group was established under the joint umbrella of the European Society for Contact Dermatitis and the European Society for Photodermatology in 2000. After proposing the most adequate methodology in 2004 and completing a European multicentre photopatch test study in 2011, this taskforce is recommending a list of photoallergens that should form part of a baseline series for photopatch testing in Europe. It contains mainly ultraviolet filters and drugs, mostly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Results of a cosmetovigilance survey in The Netherlands.

Background: Cosmetic products contribute considerably to the incidence of contact dermatitis. In response to a resolution of the Council of Europe, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in The Netherlands set up a pilot project to report undesirable effects attributed to cosmetic products.

Objectives: To provide an overview of undesirable effects attributed to cosmetic products and to identify the ingredients involved.

Patch test concentrations (doses in mg/cm2 ) for the 12 non-mix fragrance substances regulated by European legislation.

Background: According to EU legislation, 26 fragrance substance allergens must be labelled on cosmetic products. For 12 of them, the optimal patch test concentration/dose has not been evaluated.

Objectives: To establish the optimal patch test doses in mg/cm2 for the 12 fragrance substances that are not included in fragrance mix I or II in the European baseline patch test series.

Effectiveness of prevention programmes for hand dermatitis: a systematic review of the literature.

Hand dermatitis is a prevalent disease with an episodic, chronic character. The use of medical resources is high and is often related to reduced (work) functioning. The burden is therefore high for patients and society.

Integrated, multidisciplinary care for hand eczema: design of a randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness study.

Background: The individual and societal burden of hand eczema is high. Literature indicates that moderate to severe hand eczema is a disease with a poor prognosis. Many patients are hampered in their daily activities, including work.

Contact sensitisation in hand eczema patients-relation to subdiagnosis, severity and quality of life: a multi-centre study.

Background: Contact sensitisation has been identified as a factor associated with poor prognosis for patients with hand eczema.

Objectives: To study implications of contact sensitisation with respect to severity, quality of life (QoL) and subdiagnosis of hand eczema.

Methods: The study was performed as a multi-centre, cross-sectional study from 10 European clinics.

Do 'cinnamon-sensitive' patients react to cinnamate UV filters?

Background: Use of sunscreens has increased dramatically worldwide, and some sunscreen chemicals may be allergens. Ultraviolet (UV) filters are added to various cosmetic products. Cinnamate UV filters are structurally related to cinnamon-related fragrances.

Dendritic cells: biology of the skin.

Allergic contact dermatitis results from a T-cell-mediated, delayed-type hypersensitivity immune response induced by allergens. Skin dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in the initiation of allergic skin responses. Following encounter with an allergen, DCs become activated and undergo maturation and differentiate into immunostimulatory DCs and are able to present antigens effectively to T cells.

Notification of occupational skin diseases by dermatologists in The Netherlands.

Background: A voluntary surveillance scheme of occupational skin diseases (OSDs) in The Netherlands starting in 2001 aimed to improve insight in the incidence of OSD especially occupational contact dermatitis (OCD), risk professions and causal agents. This paper presents the results of this scheme during 2001-05.

Methods: Reports of new cases of OSD received from the participating dermatologists on a monthly basis were analysed.

Allergic contact dermatitis from EMLA cream: concomitant sensitization to both local anesthetics lidocaine and prilocaine.

Local anesthetics are widely used drugs. In contrast to the local anesthetics of the ester group, the ones of the amide group (for example prilocaine and lidocaine) are considered to be rare sensitizers. Positive patch test results to both prilocaine and lidocaine in EMLA cream might indicate potential cross-reactivity.

Hand eczema classification: a cross-sectional, multicentre study of the aetiology and morphology of hand eczema.

Background: Hand eczema is a long-lasting disease with a high prevalence in the background population. The disease has severe, negative effects on quality of life and sometimes on social status. Epidemiological studies have identified risk factors for onset and prognosis, but treatment of the disease is rarely evidence based, and a classification system for different subdiagnoses of hand eczema is not agreed upon.

CXCL12 is essential for migration of activated Langerhans cells from epidermis to dermis.

The initial step in Langerhans cell (LC) migration from the epidermis to the lymph node involves migration of maturing LC into the dermis. Here, we investigated the migration of LC out of the epidermis after exposure of the skin to contact allergens. Ex vivo intact human skin, epidermal sheets, and LC derived from the MUTZ-3 cell line (MUTZ-LC) were used to determine whether dermal fibroblasts play a role in mediating LC migration towards the dermis.

Anogenital allergic contact dermatitis, the role of spices and flavour allergy.

Background: In patients with vulval or anogenital dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis is more common than allergic contact dermatitis. The reported frequency and relevance of contact sensitivity in anogenital dermatitis varies greatly.

Objective: To determine the frequency and relevance of contact sensitization in a Dutch group of female patients with chronic anogenital complaints.

Hand eczema severity and quality of life: a cross-sectional, multicentre study of hand eczema patients.

Background And Objectives: Hand eczema is a chronic disease with negative impact on quality of life (QoL). In this study, QoL in hand eczema patients is assessed and related to age, sex, severity, and diagnostic subgroups.

Methods: A total of 416 patients with hand eczema from 10 European patch test clinics participated in the study.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to chronic irritant contact dermatitis.

Background: Cytokines play an important role in skin inflammation.

Objectives: We determined whether polymorphisms in cytokine genes contribute to the occurrence of occupational chronic irritant contact dermatitis (CICD).

Methods: In a case-control study, 9 polymorphisms in the genes coding for interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-8, IL-10, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were determined in 197 patients with CICD.

Relevance of positive patch-test reactions to fragrance mix.

Background: Fragrances are an important cause of allergic contact dermatitis. We presume that the traditional fragrance mix (FM) detects 70 to 80% of fragrance-allergic patients. FM has an irritant potential.

Differential suppression of dendritic cell cytokine production by anti-inflammatory drugs.

Background: Various anti-inflammatory drugs are available for the treatment of skin disorders. In these diseases, untoward immune responses to endogenous and/or environmental antigens are initiated by maturation and polarization of dendritic cells (DC).

Objective: To explore the suppressive effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on DC maturation and, in particular, polarization.