Allergic Contact Dermatitis and Concomitant Dermatologic Diseases: A Retrospective Study

Background Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) can exist in the setting of other dermatologic conditions. It is known that the treatment of these conditions can cause ACD, increasing both diagnostic and treatment difficulty. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of common dermatologic conditions in the setting of ACD and in specific patient populations. Methods A retrospective database study was completed using Truven Health to collect information on patch-tested ACD patients. Demographics and diagnostic information were retrieved. Of those with ACD, the presence of 15 dermatologic diagnoses was investigated. Subanalyses were conducted for each condition, including International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code specificity, demographics, and diagnostic information. Results A total of 6380 patients (76.83% female) were given a diagnosis of ACD via patch testing. Of those with concomitant disease, those most common include atopic dermatitis (23.98%), urticaria (16.69%), and acne (11.51%). Eight of the concomitant conditions were found to have statistical significance in comparing the average age of ACD diagnosis with the selected diagnoses (alpha = 0.05). Conclusions Common dermatologic diseases can exist concomitantly with ACD, many of which can be treated by compounds that precipitate or worsen preexisting ACD. The average age of the diagnosis varies from concomitant diagnoses, which can contribute to difficulty in ACD diagnosis and treatment.