Abstract:

Objective To determine contact allergens and their clinical significance in patients with dermatitis or eczema in Wuxi city. Methods Patch test was conducted in 1065 patients with a clinical diagnosis of dermatitis or eczema. A statistical analysis was carried out. Results Positive patch test reactions were observed in 83.19% of the patients, with no statistical differences in the frequency of positive patch test reactions between female and male patients or between patients of different age groups. The most frequent 6 allergens were potassium dichromate, cobalt chloride, nickle sulfate, formaldehyde, carba mix and fragrance mix in these patients. Female patients showed a higher frequency of positive patch test reaction to nickle sulfate and formaldehyde, but a lower frequency to potassium dichromate and carba mix compared with male patients （all P < 0.01）; young, middle-aged, and old patients exhibited an increased frequency of positive reaction to cobalt chloride compared with child patients, while young and middle-aged patients showed a decreased frequency to nickel sulfate compared with child patients （all P < 0.05）. Conclusion Potassium dichromate, cobalt chloride, nickle sulfate, formaldehyde, carba mix and fragrance mix are the main allergens causing dermatitis and eczema in Wuxi city.

Key words: Patch test