Contact dermatitis epidemiology

Measures of the public health importance of a disease include the absolute number of cases, the incidence rate, the prevalence (rate), the economic impact of the disease, and the prognosis and preventability of the disease.65 Contact dermatitis is the most common occupational and environmental skin disease. Epidemiologic data show that contact dermatitis comprises 90 to 95% of all occupational skin diseases. 

North American Contact Dermatitis Group. 1973. Epidemiology of contact dermatitis in North America 1972. Arch Dermatol 108 537-549. 

Calas, E., Castelairr, P.-Y. Piriou, A. (1978) [Epidemiology of contact dermatitis in Marseilles]. Ann. Dermatol. VenereoL, 105, 345-347 (in French)... 

Fregert S, Hjorth N, MagnussonB, et al. 1969. Epidemiology of contact dermatitis. Trans St John s Hosp Dermatol Soc 55 17-35. 

Kranke B, Szolar-Platzer C, Komericki P, Derhaschnig J, Aberer W. Epidemiological significance of bufexamac as a frequent and relevant contact sensitizer. Contact Dermatitis 1997 36(4) 212-15. 

Rudzki E, Kleniewska D. The epidemiology of contact dermatitis in Poland. Br ] Dermatol 1970 83 543-545. 

Gehrig KA, Warshaw EM. Allergic contact dermatitis to topical antibiotics Epidemiology, responsible allergens, and management. f Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 58 1-21. 

Kawahara D, Oshima H, Kosugi H, et al. 1993. Further epidemiologic-study of occupational contact-dermatitis in the dental clinic. Contact Dermatitis 28(2) 114-115. 

Diepgen TL, Coenraads PJ The epidemiology of occupational contact dermatitis. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1999 72 496—506. (Ila)... 

There is no established evidence (epidemiological or experimental) for carcinogenicity caused by exposure to Cr(III) or Cr(0) compounds (113, 117). However, allergic contact dermatitis due to occupational exposure to Cr(lll) (primarily in the leather tanning industry) is relatively common (144—146). The safety of oral intake of Cr(III) in food supplements has also been questioned (Section IV.D) (5). A concern about the safety of the use of Cr(0) in stainless steel body implants (e.g., artificial joints or fracture fixation plates) was raised following at least one reported case of bone cancer caused by corrosion of the implant (147). In vitro studies have shown that the corrosion of Cr alloys in human semm leads to Cr(III) binding to serum proteins (148). Such corrosion can also release another possible carcinogen, Ni(II) (149). This problem should be overcome by the use of Ti alloys (free of Cr or Ni), which were introduced as an alternative 10-15 years ago (150). 

Fregert S, Rorsman H (1962) Hypersensitivity to diethylstilbestrol with cross sensitization to benzestrol. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 42 290-293 Fregert S, Hjorth N, Magnusson B et al. (1969) Epidemiology of contact dermatitis. Trans St John s Hosp Dermatol Soc 55 17-35... 

North American Contact Dermatitis Group (1973) Epidemiology of contact dermatitis in North America, 1972. Arch Dermatol 108 537-540 North American Contact Dermatitis Group (1975) The frequency of contact sensitivity in North America 1972-1974. Contact Dermatitis 1 277-280 Odom RB, Maibach HI (1977) Contact urticaria a different contact dermatitis. In MarzuUi FN, Maibach HI (eds) Dermatotoxicology and pharmacology. John Wiley Sons, New York Chichester, pp 441-453... 

Contact dermatitis is a pattern of inflammatory response of the skin that may occur as a result of contact with external factors (allergens, irritants). The clinical picture is a polymorphic pattern of inflammation of the skin characterized by a wide range of clinical features such as itching, redness, scaling, erythema, vesiculation, and clustered papulovesicles. In chronic cases, Assuring, hyperkeratosis, and lichen-ification occur. The variety of morphology and natural history makes it difficult to define a widely accepted standardized definition of the disease, which is needed to compare epidemiological studies. 

In an epidemiological study on the prevalence of HE in different occupational groups, it was noted that in population-based studies the symptoms of contact dermatitis are relatively mild in the majority of cases, judged from the proportion of cases that resulted in sick leave or medical attention (Smit et al. 1993). Of all persons with work-related hand dermatitis, only between 15% and 36% had consulted a physician for treatment, and sick leave due to their symptoms resulted in only 4-9% (Table 3). 

Fig. 1. Selection bias in epidemiological studies on contact dermatitis...

Epidemiological studies on the prevention of contact dermatitis in the work environment are needed to prove the effectiveness of preventive measures and interventions. Presently, epidemiological intervention studies that evaluate the relative impact of various measures to prevent contact dermatitis, have not been published. 

Emollient creams and ointments used during and after work are also supposed to be effective in preventing contact dermatitis of the irritant type, but the epidemiological evidence is scant (Halkier-Soren-sen and Thestrup-Pedersen 1993). 

Although there is a wealth of information based on clinical data and case series, the paucity of sound epidemiological data on work-related contact dermatitis is clearly illustrated in this chapter. 

First of all, data on prevalence of ICD and ACD are missing and the few published population-based studies are difficult to compare due to the lack of standardization of case definitions and methods. To be able to compare cross-sectional studies, it is important that some form of standardization is reached about definition of contact dermatitis in epidemiological studies, as well as methods of case ascertainment. 

Coenraads PJ, Smit J (1995) Epidemiology. In Rycroft RJG, Menne T, Frosch PJ (eds) Textbook of contact dermatitis. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 133-150 Coenraads PJ, Nater JP, van der Lende R (1983) Prevalence of eczema and other dermatoses of the hands and arms in the Netherlands. Association with age and occupation. Clin Exp Dermatol 8 495-503... 

Diepgen TL, Schmidt A, Fartasch M Occupational contact dermatitis in hairdressers - an epidemiological study. Contact Dermatitis... 

Diepgen TL, Schmidt A, Fartasch M Epidemiology of occupational dermatoses in North Bavaria. Contact Dermatitis Fabry H (1981) Statistik der Berufskrankheiten der Haut-gefahrdungskataster. Dermatosen 29 42-44 Farm A (1986) Changing patterns in chromate allergy. Contact Dermatitis 15 298-299... 

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