11 research outputs found
Contact allergy in Swedish adolescents : results from the BAMSE cohort study
No full textBackground: Contact allergy affects about 20-25% of adults in the general population, but it is not completely clear how common it is among children and adolescents. Contact allergy is caused by skin contact to sensitizing substances. Knowledge about the relation between skin exposures, related skin symptoms and contact allergy among children and adolescents is limited. Atopic dermatitis (AD) and filaggrin gene (FLG) mutations have been suggested as risk factors for contact allergy, though this needs to be further explored.Aims: To determine the prevalence of contact allergy at age 16 in a population-based cohort. To determine the prevalence of self-reported skin exposures and skin symptoms at age 16, and assess their association with contact allergy. To assess the association between AD at preschool age and contact allergy at age 16, and the association between FLG mutations and contact allergy, self-reported hand eczema and dry skin at 16 years.Methods: We used data from a Swedish population-based birth cohort (BAMSE), followed from birth to age 16. Adolescents answered questions about skin exposures and skin symptoms at age 16 years. Their parents completed questionnaires at baseline, when the child was 2 months old and then regarding AD at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 years. Information about contact allergy was collected by patch test (n=2,285), and FLG mutation status was determined from blood samples at age 16.Results: Contact allergy prevalence was 15.3% among adolescents and higher among girls than boys (17.0% versus 13.4%, p=0.018). Nickel was the most frequent cause of contact allergy (7.5%), followed by fragrance mix I (FM I) (2.1%). Nickel allergy was more common among girls (9.8% versus 4.9%, pConclusions: Contact allergy prevalence is high among adolescents in Sweden. Nickel allergy is the most common contact allergy, affecting more girls than boys. Piercing and hair dyeing were reported by the majority at 16 years. More girls than boys reported skin symptoms related to skin exposures. AD at preschool age may be associated with contact allergy to fragrance at 16 years. No association was observed between AD at preschool age and nickel allergy. FLG mutations were associated with dry skin, but not with contact allergy or hand eczema at age 16 years.List of scientific papersI. Lagrelius M, Wahlgren CF, Matura M, Kull I, Lidén C. High prevalence of contact allergy in adolescence: results from the population-based BAMSE-birth cohort. Contact Dermatitis. 2016; 74: 44-51. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12492 II. Lagrelius M, Wahlgren CF, Matura M, Bergström A, Kull I, Lidén C. A population-based study of self-reported skin exposures and symptoms in relation to contact allergy in adolescents. Contact Dermatitis. 2017; 77: 242-249. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12816 III. Lagrelius M, Wahlgren CF, Matura M, Bergström A, Kull I, Lidén C. Atopic dermatitis at preschool age and contact allergy in adolescence: a population-based cohort study. Br J Dermatol. 2018, Nov 22. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.17449 IV. Lagrelius M, Wahlgren CF, Bradley M, Melén, Kull I, Bergström A, Lidén C. Filaggrin gene mutations in relation to contact allergy and hand eczema in adolescence. [Manuscript]</p
High prevalence of contact allergy in adolescence: results from the population-based BAMSE birth cohort
No full textA population-based study of self-reported skin exposures and symptoms in relation to contact allergy in adolescents
No full textWater, soap, and hand‐disinfectant exposure during the COVID‐19 pandemic and self‐reported hand eczema in frontline workers: A cross‐sectional study
No full textBackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, increased hand hygiene practices were implemented. Impaired skin health on the hands among healthcare workers has been reported previously. Knowledge of how worker in other occupations have been affected is scarce.ObjectivesTo investigate self-reported hand water-, and soap exposure and use of hand disinfectants, and hand eczema (HE) in frontline workers outside the hospital setting and in IT personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was sent out between 1 March and 30 April in 2021, to 6060 randomly selected individuals representing six occupational groups.ResultsA significant increase in water exposure and hand disinfectant use was shown: Relative position (RP) 19; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17–0.21 and RP = 0.38: 95% CI 0.36–0.41, respectively. Newly debuted HE was reported by 7.4% of the population, more frequently among frontline workers (8.6%) compared to IT personnel (4.9%).ConclusionsWater and soap exposure and use of hand disinfectants increased during COVID-19 pandemic, which may increase the risk of hand eczema. This highlights the importance of communication and implementation of preventive measures to protect the skin barrier also in occupations other than healthcare workers.</p
Suitable test concentration of cobalt and concomitant reactivity to nickel and chromium. A multicentre study from the Swedish Contact Dermatitis Research Group
No full textBackground: In Sweden, cobalt chloride 0.5% has been included in the baseline series since the mid-1980s. A recent study from Stockholm showed that cobalt chloride 1% petrolatum (pet.) was more suitable than 0.5%. Cobalt chloride at 1.0% has been patch tested for decades in many European countries and around the world. Objectives: To study the suitability of patch testing to cobalt 1.0% vs 0.5% and to analyze the co-occurrence of allergy to cobalt, chromium, and nickel. Results: Contact allergy to cobalt was shown in 90 patients (6.6%). Eighty (5.9%) patients tested positive to cobalt 1.0%. Thirty-seven of the 90 patients (41.1%) with cobalt allergy were missed by cobalt 0.5% and 10 (0.7%) were missed by cobalt 1.0% (P <.001). No case of patch test sensitization was reported. Allergy to chromium was seen in 2.6% and allergy to nickel in 13.3%. Solitary allergy to cobalt without nickel allergy was shown in 61.1% of cobalt-positive individuals. Female patients had larger proportions of positive reactions to cobalt (P =.036) and nickel (P <.001) than males. Conclusion: The results speak in favor of replacing cobalt chloride 0.5% with cobalt chloride 1.0% pet. in the Swedish baseline series, which will be done 2021
Increased Cell-Mediated Immune Responses in Patients with Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Meningitis
No full textABSTRACTThe clinical picture of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection includes genital blisters and less frequently meningitis, and some individuals suffer from recurrent episodes of these manifestations. We hypothesized that adaptive and/or innate immune functional deficiencies may be a major contributing factor in susceptibility to recurrent HSV-2 meningitis. Ten patients with recurrent HSV-2 meningitis were studied during clinical remission. For comparison, 10 patients with recurrent genital HSV infections as well as 21 HSV-seropositive and 19 HSV-seronegative healthy blood donors were included. HSV-specific T cell blasting and cytokine secretion were evaluated in whole blood cultures. HSV-2-induced NK cell gamma interferon production, dendritic cell Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression, and TLR agonist-induced alpha interferon secretion were analyzed. Patients with recurrent HSV-2 meningitis had elevated T cell blasting and Th1 and Th2 cytokine production in response to HSV antigens compared to those of patients with recurrent genital infections. A somewhat increased NK cell response, increased dendritic cell expression of TLR3 and -9, and increased TLR-induced alpha interferon responses were also noted. Contrary to our expectation, recurrent HSV-2 meningitis patients have increased HSV-specific adaptive and innate immune responses, raising the possibility of immune-mediated pathology in the development of recurrent HSV2 meningitis.</jats:p
