Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Contact allergy and atopic dermatitis may be present in the same patient.Known comorbidities of atopic dermatitis are allergic asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, both of which can be treated with allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT).Persistent itching nodules and contact allergy to aluminium are known adverse reactions after ASIT with aluminium-containing allergen extracts as well as after immunisation with aluminium-containing vaccines.The aims of this thesis were: i) to investigate the presence of contact allergies in atopic individuals with and without childhood eczema, before and after ASIT (Paper I), ii) to investigate whether ASIT with aluminium-containing allergen extracts during one year induces persistent itching nodules and contact allergy to aluminium (Paper II), iii) to provide increased knowledge about establishing contact allergy to aluminum (Paper III), and iv) to study contact allergic reactions to aluminium over time (Paper IV).Paper I and paper II are based on a prospective study in atopic individuals suffering form allergic asthma and/or allergic rhinocunjunctivitis.The study participants were treated with ASIT with aluminium-containing allergen extracts during one year.They were patch tested with aluminium chloride hexahydrate before and during ASIT.At the end of the study all participants were patch tested with aluminium and the baseline series.Paper III reports on aluminiumallergic volunteers who were patch tested with six different aluminium compounds and an empty Finn chamber, and also tested intradermally with aluminium chloride hexahydrate.In paper IV the results of repeated patch testing with aluminium chloride hexahydrate and aluminium lactate in aluminium-allergic volunteers are presented.The findings were as follows: i a) a lower number of contact allergies was found in individuals treated with ASIT, i b) a higher number of contact allergies was found in individuals with a history of childhood eczema, ii a) contact allergy to aluminium was found in those treated with ASIT but ASIT was not shown to be a risk factor, ii b) contact allergy to aluminium and itching nodules seemed to be more common in children and in those with a history of atopic dermatitis, iii a) patch testing with aluminium chloride hexahydrate 2.0% petrolatum (pet.) and an empty Finn chamber, as well as the intradermal test are insufficient to detect aluminium allergy, iii b) most positive reactions were noted to aluminium chloride hexahydrate 10% pet., iv a) patch test reactivity to aluminium varies over time, iv b) an aluminium-allergic individual may have a false-negative reaction to aluminium.
Author: Ingrid Siemund
Language: English
Subfield: Dermatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2762695105