Evaluation of the permanence of skin sensitization to allergens in patients with allergic contact dermatitis.

Background: Background: Patch tests are an efficient method to confirm the etiological diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis.

Objectives: 1) To determine the permanence of results between two tests performed with an interval of at least one year, in patients with allergic contact dermatitis; 2) To compare the positive results according to rates of intensity; 3) To evaluate the permanence of sensitization according to each substance that was tested.

Methods: Patients with previous diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis, confirmed by patch tests carried out between the years 2005 and 2008, underwent new testing, using the same methodology, and data was compared.