Contact hypersensitivity to corticosteroids in routine patch test patients. A multi-centre study of the Swiss Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

Background: Contact hypersensitivity to corticosteroids is increasingly reported and has been identified as a problem of considerable clinical relevance. The prevalence of positive patch tests to corticosteroids ranges from 0.2 up to 5%.

High sensitization rate to emulsifiers in patients with chronic leg ulcers.

Emulsifiers are common constituents of most topical preparations. To study the sensitization rate in a population with frequent use of these agents, we selected 47 patients with chronic or recurrent (> 1 year) inflammatory skin disease (leg ulcers, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis) for patch testing with the following emulsifiers: Tween 40 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate). Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate), Span 60 (sorbitan monostearate), Span 80 (sorbitan monooelate), Arlacel 83 (sorbitan sesquioleate), Atlas G 2162 (polyoxyethylene oxypropylene stearate), Atlas G 1441 (polyoxyethylene sorbitol lanolin derivative), triethanolamine, Lanette O (cetylstearyl alcohol), Lanette N.

Frequency of sensitization to 13 common preservatives in Switzerland. Swiss Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

From February 1989 to January 1990, the Swiss Contact Dermatitis Research Group conducted a 1-year study to examine the frequency of sensitization to a series of 13 common preservatives. A group of 2295 consecutive outpatients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis (age range 7-90 years, with a mean age of 42; 911 males, 1384 females) was tested. The %s of positive reactions to the preservatives studied are as follows, in descending order: formaldehyde 5.

Sensitization to the isothiazolinone biocide. Report of the Swiss Contact Dermatitis Research Group 1988-1990.

The rate of sensitization to isothiazolinones (Kathon CG) detected in Switzerland rose from 3.5% (out of 2,491 patients) in 1987 to 6.3% (out of 982 patients) in 1988 and 5.