Allergic nickel

Kanerva L, Forstrom L. Allergic nickel and chromate hand dermatitis induced by orthopaedic metal implant. Contact Dermatitis 2001 44(2) 103-4. 

Kalimo K, Lammintausta K, Jalava J, Niskanen T (1997) Is it possible to improve the prognosis in nickel contact dermatitis Contact Dermatitis 37 121-124 Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R (1993) Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from nickel in bartender s metallic measuring cup. Am J Contact Dermatitis 4 39-41 Kanerva L, Kiilunen M, Jolanki R, et al. (1997) Hand dermatitis and allergic patch test reactions caused by nickel in electroplaters. Contact Dermatitis 36 137-140 Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R (1998) Bank clerk s occupational allergic nickel and cobalt contact dermatitis from coins. Contact Dermatitis 38 217-218 Katsarou A, Koufou K, Takou T, et al. (1995) Patch test results in hairdressers with contact dermatitis in Greece (1985-1994). Contact Dermatitis 33 347-361... 

Fig. 2.4 Allergic nickel contact dermatitis caused by (a) reading glasses and (b) a multifunction key on a cell phone. From Veien NK, in Johansen JD, Frosch PJ, Lepoittevin J-P, editors. Contact Dermatitis. 5th ed. Berlin Springer-Verlag 2011. With kind permission from Springer Science+Business Media...

Eye and Skin Contact. Some nickel salts and aqueous solutions of these salts, eg, the sulfate and chloride, may cause a primary irritant reaction of the eye and skin. The most common effect of dermal exposure to nickel is allergic contact dermatitis. Nickel dermatitis may occur in sensitized individuals following close and prolonged contact with nickel-containing solutions or metallic objects such as jewelry, particularly pierced earrings. It is estimated that 8—15% of the female human population and 0.2—2% of the male human population is nickel-sensitized (125). 

The property most frequently cited in connection with the use of Ti dental or medical appHances is titanium s unique biocompatibiHty. This helps practitioners avoid occasional allergic reactions that occur with nickel or chromium alloys, and removes concerns about the toxic or carcinogenic potential of appHances that contain nickel, chromium, or beryUium. Wrought alloys of titanium are used for orthodontic wires because of their unique elastic... 

Some nickel compounds may be irritant to skin and eyes and dermal contact with nickel can result in allergic contact dermatitis. Nickel carbonyl is extremely toxic by inhalation and should be handled in totally enclosed systems or with extremely efficient ventilation. Air monitors linked to alarms may be required to detect leaks. Respiratory equipment must be available for dealing with leaks. Biological checks (e.g. nickel in urine) should be considered for routine operations involving nickel catalysts. 

The most frequent causes of allergic contact dermatitis in the United States include plants (poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac), metallic salts, organic dyes, plastic resins, rubber additives, and germicides.74 The most common skin patch test allergens found to be positive in patients along with potential sources of exposure are shown in Table 32.1.75 In patients with occupational contact dermatitis who were skin patch tested, the common allergens included carba mix, thiuram mix, formaldehyde, epoxy resin, and nickel.76... 

When nickel sulphate was tested in nickel-allergic subjects, a marked stimulated DNA synthesis was obtained however, a stimulation at a lower degree was found in control subjects [369], findings which are in accordance with other reports [370]. 

Nickel-specific human T-lymphocyte clones have been isolated from blood [373] and inflammatory infiltrates after nickel application [379, 381]. 7-15% of the CD4 1 8 T-lymphocyte clones appeared to be specific for nickel in a proliferation assay [379] this proliferation response required the presence of antigen-presenting cells and was restricted by HLA class II molecules. Nickel-specific T cells from each nickel-allergic patient were extremely heterogenous with respect to their genetic restriction [381], Nickel-specific T lymphocytes sometimes show unusual genetic restrictions and might even respond to nickel without the participation of HLA-II molecules. 

No difference in the labelling of lymphocytes with 63Ni could be found in lymphocytes from nickel-allergic and control subjects [307, 308], approximately 20% of the lymphocytes being labelled. A difference was found regard-... 

The substance may penetrate the skin and cause allergic contact dermatitis (formaldehyde, nickel, phthalic anhydride)... 

Unlike nickel, chromium metal does not produce allergic contact dermatitis. Some patients exhibit positive patch tests to divalent chromium compounds, but these compounds are considerably less potent as sensitizers than hexavalent chromium compounds. A case of chromium (chromic) sulfate-induced asthma in a plating worker, confirmed by specific challenge testing and the presence of IgE antibodies, has been reported. ... 

The most common adverse health effect of nickel in humans is an allergic reaction to nickel. People can become sensitive to nickel when jewelry or other things containing nickel are in direct contact with the skin. Wearing earrings containing nickel in pierced ears may also sensitize people to nickel. Once a person is sensitized to nickel, further contact with the metal will produce a reaction. The most common reaction is a skin rash at the site of contact. In... 

Dermal Effects. No studies were located regarding dermal effects in humans following inhalation exposure. However, contact dermatitis in persons exposed to nickel compounds is one of the most common effects of nickel exposure (see Section 2.2.3.2). In addition, immunological studies indicate that the dermatitis is an allergic response to nickel, and significant effects on the immune system have been noted in workers exposed to nickel (see Section 2.2.1.3). 

Dermatitis resulting from nickel allergy is well reported in the literature (see Section 2.2.2.2 for further discussion of allergic dermatitis following oral exposure). 

Emmett EA, Risby TH, Jiang L, et al. 1988. Allergic contact dermatitis to nickel Bioavailability from consumer products and provocation threshold. J Am Acad Dermatol 19(2) 314-322. 

Kapsenberg ML, Van der Pouw-Kraan T, Stiekeme FE. 1988. Direct and indirect nickel-specific stimulation of T lymphocytes from patients with allergic contact dermatitis to nickel. Eur J Immunol 18 977-982. 

Lloyd GK. 1980 Dermal absorption and conjugation of nickel in relation to the induction of allergic contact dermatitis Preliminary results. In Brown SS, Sunderman FW Jr, eds. Nickel Toxicology. London, UK Academic Press, 145-148. 

Menne T, Maibach HI. 1989. Nickel allergic contact dermatitis A review. J Am Coll Toxicol 8 1271-1273. 

Prystowsky SD, Allen AM, Smith RW, et al. 1979. Allergic contact hypersensitivity to nickel, neomycin, ethylenediamine and benzocaine. Arch Dermatol 115 959-962. 

---