Patch test results in terms of the recently recommended allergens in children and adolescents: a retrospective cohort study over 22 years from Turkey.

BACKGROUND An European pediatric patch test series was suggested recently. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the patch test results in children (<10 years old) and adolescents (10-18 years old) in Turkey, focusing on the clinical/occupational relevance, and the diagnostic value of the recently suggested series. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study on 317 consecutively patch tested patients aged ≤18 years, between 1996-2017. RESULTS The contact sensitization rate was 46.1%. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) was diagnosed in 30.9%, comprising non-occupational (84.7%) and occupational (15.3%) ACD. Nickel was the leading allergen in almost every age group. Methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) was the clinically most relevant allergen, followed by p-phenylenediamine (PPD), ammonium persulfate, fragrance mix I, nickel sulfate, and mercury/mercury(II)amidochloride. Occupational ACD was most frequently seen in hairdresser apprentices (adolescents only) who were sensitized with PPD ± ammonium persulfate. ACD from MCI/MI increased to 5-fold, ammonium persulfate, mercurial compounds to-2 fold, and PPD to 1.7-fold after 2007. Almost 1/3 of patients would be missed by testing only with the recommended allergens. CONCLUSIONS For patch testing in Turkish children and adolescents, we would suggest additionally to test with ammonium persulfate, mercury/mercury(II)amidochloride, toluenesulfonamide formaldehyde resin, and polyethylene glycol, the latter as marker for nitrofurazone allergy, in appropriate patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.