CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS WITH HAND DERMATITIS REFERRED TO THE CONTACT DERMATITIS UNIT OF A TERTIARY HOSPITAL AND IMPACT OF PATCH TESTING ON DIAGNOSIS

Objective. This study aimed to define the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients referred to a contact dermatitis unit for hand dermatitis. Material and methods. We retrospectively analyzed patients referred for hand dermatitis to the contact dermatitis unit of the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain, between 2004 and 2007. Results. A total of 96 patients were included. The most common diagnosis was irritant contact dermatitis, followed by allergic contact dermatitis, psoriasis, dyshydrosis, and atopic dermatitis. Standard patch tests were done for all patients and complementary batteries were ordered in 42 (44 %). Patch tests were positive in 59 % of the patients. Positive results were considered of present relevance in 59 %, of past relevance in 6 %, and of unknown relevance in the remaining positive tests. When proposed as the initial diagnosis, allergic contact dermatitis was confirmed in 67 % of the patients. The most frequent clinically relevant allergens were chrome, nickel, rosin, plant allergens, and p-phenylenediamine. Conclusions. Hand dermatitis is a frequent presenting complaint in our contact dermatitis unit, with allergic contact dermatitis being the most common. Good correlation was found between presumed diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis and the finding of clinically relevant allergens.