Relevance and reproducibility of patch-test reactions to corticosteroids

• Published in: Contact dermatitis Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 362 - 365
• Main Authors: Devos, Steven A., Van Der Valk, Pieter G. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copenhagen Munksgaard International Publishers 01.06.2001; Blackwell
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Allergens - adverse effects; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; budesonide; clinical relevance; contact allergy; corticosteroids; cross-sensitivity; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - etiology; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Medical sciences; medicaments; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Patch Tests - standards; patch-testing technique; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; reproducibility; Reproducibility of Results; retesting; Skin - drug effects; Skin - pathology; tixocortol pivalate; Human; Immunopathology; Allergy; Budesonide; Corticosteroid; Skin disease; Steroid hormone; Toxicity; Antiinflammatory agent; Hydrocortisone; Reproducibility; Adrenal hormone; Pivalate; Tixocortol; Patch; Allergen; Skin test
• ISSN: 0105-1873; 1600-0536
• DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0536.2001.044006362.x

We present our patch test findings with dermatocorticosteroids during the period 1995–1999. We retrospectively studied the % of doubtful and positive reactions to each allergen in our corticosteroid series and assessed the relevance of these reactions. To assess reproducibility, we retested 15 patients with doubtful or positive reactions in 1999. The % of + or ++ reactions on D2‐D3 and D7 ranged from 0.0% to 0.9% for most of the compounds tested. Hydrocortisone acetate 1% alc.abs./DMSO 50/50 showed a much higher % of positive reactions. Most of these reactions were not relevant and therefore probably due to the irritant nature of the vehicle. An overall reproducibility of 47.2% was obtained. 100.0% of the non‐reproducible patch test reactions were not relevant. Definite relevance was much higher in the reproducible + or ++ reactions than in the reproducible doubtful reactions: 100.0% and 18.2%, respectively. We conclude that the mean % of + and ++ reactions to the corticosteroid series on D2‐D3 is 0.5%, with an overall reproducibility of 47.2%. Tixocortol pivalate and budesonide proved to be important markers for dermatocorticosteroid allergy.