Assessment of cross-reactivity of new less sensitizing epoxy resin monomers in epoxy resin-allergic individuals

• Published in: Contact dermatitis Vol. 75; no. 3; pp. 144 - 150
• Main Authors: Hagvall, Lina, Niklasson, Ida B., Rudbäck, Johanna, O'Boyle, Niamh M., Niklasson, Eva, Luthman, Kristina, Karlberg, Ann-Therese
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aged; allergic contact dermatitis; Benzhydryl Compounds - adverse effects; Benzhydryl Compounds - immunology; BISPHENOL-A; CONTACT ALLERGY; Cross Reactions - immunology; cross-reactivity; DERMATITIS; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - etiology; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - immunology; Dermatologi och venereologi; Dermatology and Venereal Diseases; DGEBA; DIGLYCIDYL ETHER; ELICITATION; Epoxy Compounds - adverse effects; Epoxy Compounds - immunology; epoxy resin; Epoxy resins; Epoxy Resins - adverse effects; Facilities planning; Female; GUINEA-PIG; Haptens - immunology; Humans; INDUCTION; Male; Middle Aged; OCCUPATIONS; patch testing; Patch Tests; POTENCY; Price increases; Rapid prototyping; RISK; skin sensitization; structure-activity relationships; epoxy resin; structure-activity relationships; allergic contact dermatitis; skin sensitization; cross-reactivity; patch testing; DGEBA
• ISSN: 0105-1873; 1600-0536; 1600-0536
• DOI: 10.1111/cod.12624

Summary Background Measures to prevent occupational exposure to epoxy resins, including education, medical examination, and voluntary agreements between employers and workers, have not been effective enough to protect against skin sensitization. Therefore, alternatives to the major epoxy resin haptens that have been found to be less sensitizing in the local lymph node assay have been developed. Objectives To study the cross‐reactivity of two newly designed epoxy resin monomers, with decreased skin‐sensitizing potency and good technical properties as compared with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), in subjects with known contact allergy to epoxy resin of DGEBA type. Patients and Methods Eleven individuals with previous positive patch test reactions to epoxy resin of DGEBA participated in the study. The two alternative epoxy resin monomers were synthesized and patch tested in dilution series in parallel with epoxy resin of DGEBA from the baseline series (containing 92% DGEBA). Results All participants reacted to epoxy resin of DGEBA on retesting. Three participants reacted to monomer 1. No reactions were seen to monomer 2. Conclusions The alternative monomers studied showed little or no cross‐reactivity with epoxy resin of DGEBA. Decreasing the risk of sensitization by using less sensitizing compounds is important, as contact allergy to epoxy resins is common in spite of thorough preventive measures.