European standard series

Patients with chronic venous insufficiency and venous leg ulcers are at risk of sensitization to topical medications. The frequency of sensitization in these patients is up to 67% (11). In a study using an expanded European standard series and 20 different wound dressings for patch-testing in 36 patients with chronic venous insufficiency, sensitization to fragrance mix was found in three cases (12). 

She was treated with an oral antihistamine and a topical glucocorticoid. Two days later, the lesions worsened and systemic glucocorticoid therapy was needed. The lesions started to heal, leaving slight postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. Patch-testing was performed with a European standard series and commercial laurel oil 1 month later. There was a reaction to the oil... 

A 57-year-old man developed a pigmented contact dermatitis after using topical minoxidil 5% for 2 years (12). Patch tests were negative with the European standard series and with a textile and finishes series, but positive with minoxidil 5% on days 3 and 7. However, withdrawal of the minoxidil did not lead to improvement after 10 months. 

Palmitoyl hydrolysed milk protein Parabens 10% petrolatum Parabens mix European Standard Series 4 (SEDA-13, 126) (108) ... 

In 84 male woodwork teachers there was a high incidence of allergic reactions to colophony using patch tests to a supplemented European standard series and acetone extracts of wood dust of pine, spruce, juniper, and birch 19% had mild hand eczema and there was contact allergy to several allergens in the working environment, including benzisothiazolin-3-one, nickel, formaldehyde, and colophony [52 ]. 

On the contrary, OCD in metalworkers is mostly caused by irritants. In metal workers with OCD, occupationally important allergens are rarely detected. In the North Bavarian study, the sensitization diagnosed in this group was mostly caused by substances that are included in the European standard series (a standard panel of patch tests) but only a few of these sensitizers were occupationally relevant (Fig. 4b). 

The present European standard series contains 23 items, but six of them are mixes so in fact, at least 24 additional allergens are applied. The basic idea of using mixes instead of single allergens is to save time and space, and the screening capacity is thereby greatly increased. 

ST substances included in the current European Standard Series... 

Anonymous (1988) Revised European standard series from 1 January 1989 (notice). Contact Dermatitis 19 391 Brandorff NP, Beck ID, Skov T, Flyvholm M-A (1994) Use of chemicals and potential chemical exposures in Danish enterprises 1989. A national survey. AMI-report No. 43/1994 (in Danish summary in English). National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen Brandorff NP, Flyvholm M-A, Beck ID, Skov T, Bach E (1995) National survey on the use of chemicals in the working environment estimated exposure events. Occup Environ Med 52 454-463... 

Bruynzeel DP, Andersen KE, Camarasa JG, Lachapelle J-M, Menne T, White IR (1995) The European standard series. Contact Dermatitis 33 145-148... 

Arnold WP, van Joost T, van der Valk M (1995) Adding p-aminoazobenzene may increase the sensitivity of the European standard series in detection of contact allergy to dyes, but carries the risk of active sensitization. Contact Dermatitis... 

Sesquiterpene-lactone mix is available from both Chemotechnique and Trolab and is part of the European standard series it will detect many reactions to Compositae and FruUania, but wiU also miss some... 

The systematic patch testing of patients with a battery of spices, in addition those in the European Standard Series, showed positive patch tests to be most commonly caused by balsam of Peru. Spices not in the standard series which most commonly gave rise to positive reactions were clove, Jamaican pepper and cinnamon (Niinim i 1984). 

Among 1039 persons with occupational dermatoses diagnosed by dermatologists in Jutland, Denmark in 1983-1984, 34 were bakers. They were all patch tested with the European Standard Series. Three reacted to the perfume mixture, one to balsam of Peru and one to black-rubber mix. For all five patients, the positive patch tests were considered to be occupationally relevant (Veien et al. 1986). 

Contact dermatitis from grass was suspected in 23 Chinese men undergoing military training in Singapore. All were patch tested with the most common type of grass, Axonopus compressusy and with the European standard series. The whole plant, leaves, flowers, and stem, were crushed and applied as is. The patients were... 

Sharma VK, Chakrabarti A. Common contact sensitizers in Chandrigarh India a study of 200 patients with the European standard series. Contact Dermatitis. 1998 38 127-31. 

Wang WH, Li LF, Lu XY, Wang J. Cosmetic dermatitis in Chinese eczema patients patch tested with a modified European standard series of allergens. Contact Dermatitis. 2005 53 314-9. 

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