TY - JOUR
T1 - European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA)
T2 - polysensitization, 2009-2014
AU - Dittmar, Daan
AU - Uter, Wolfgang
AU - Bauer, Andrea
AU - Fortina, Anna B.
AU - Bircher, Andreas J.
AU - Czarnecka-Operacz, Magdalena
AU - Dugonik, Aleksandra
AU - Elsner, Peter
AU - Gallo, Rosella
AU - Ghaffar, Sharizan A.
AU - Giménez-Arnau, Anna
AU - Johnston, Graham A.
AU - Kręcisz, Beata
AU - Filon, Francesca L.
AU - Rustemeyer, Thomas
AU - Sadowska-Przytocka, Anna
AU - Sánchez-Pérez, Javier
AU - Schnuch, Axel
AU - Simon, Dagmar
AU - Spiewak, Radoslaw
AU - Spring, Philipp
AU - Corradin, Maria T.
AU - Valiukevičienė, Skaidra
AU - Vok, Marko
AU - Weisshaar, Elke
AU - Wilkinson, Mark
AU - Schuttelaar, Marie L.
AU - for the ESSCA Network
N1 - The present study was not sponsored; the ESSCAhad received initial start-up funding from the EU(QLK4-CT-2001-00343 and QLK4-CT-2001-2812)in 2002–2004
PY - 2018/6
Y1 - 2018/6
N2 - Background: Polysensitization, defined as being allergic to three or more haptens from the European baseline series, is considered to reflect increased susceptibility to developing a contact allergy, and is likely to be associated with an impaired quality of life.Objectives: To evaluate the prevalences of polysensitization across Europe and to analyse factors associated with polysensitization.Methods: Patch test data collected by the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA; www.essca-dc.org) in consecutively patch tested patients from January 2009 to December 2014, comprising 11 countries and 57 departments, were retrospectively analysed.Results: A total of 86 416 patients were available for analysis, showing a standardized prevalence of polysensitization of 7.02%, ranging from 12.7% (Austria) to 4.6% (Italy). Allergen pairs with the strongest association are reported for the total population, for South Europe, and for North/Central Europe. Overall, polysensitized patients showed a higher percentage of extreme (+++) positive patch test reactions than oligosensitized patients. Female sex, occupational dermatitis and age > 40 years were risk factors for polysensitization.Conclusions: The varying prevalences of polysensitization across Europe most likely reflect differences in patient characteristics and referral patterns between departments. Known risk factors for polysensitization are confirmed in a European dermatitis population.
AB - Background: Polysensitization, defined as being allergic to three or more haptens from the European baseline series, is considered to reflect increased susceptibility to developing a contact allergy, and is likely to be associated with an impaired quality of life.Objectives: To evaluate the prevalences of polysensitization across Europe and to analyse factors associated with polysensitization.Methods: Patch test data collected by the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA; www.essca-dc.org) in consecutively patch tested patients from January 2009 to December 2014, comprising 11 countries and 57 departments, were retrospectively analysed.Results: A total of 86 416 patients were available for analysis, showing a standardized prevalence of polysensitization of 7.02%, ranging from 12.7% (Austria) to 4.6% (Italy). Allergen pairs with the strongest association are reported for the total population, for South Europe, and for North/Central Europe. Overall, polysensitized patients showed a higher percentage of extreme (+++) positive patch test reactions than oligosensitized patients. Female sex, occupational dermatitis and age > 40 years were risk factors for polysensitization.Conclusions: The varying prevalences of polysensitization across Europe most likely reflect differences in patient characteristics and referral patterns between departments. Known risk factors for polysensitization are confirmed in a European dermatitis population.
KW - Journal article
KW - Clinical epidemiology
KW - Contact allergy
KW - Patch test
KW - Polysensitization
KW - contact allergy
KW - clinical epidemiology
KW - patch test
KW - polysensitization
KW - Prevalence
KW - Humans
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Patch Tests/statistics & numerical data
KW - Dermatitis, Allergic Contact/epidemiology
KW - Young Adult
KW - Europe/epidemiology
KW - Adult
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Allergens/immunology
KW - Dermatitis, Atopic/epidemiology
KW - Population Surveillance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046374512&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/cod.12966
DO - 10.1111/cod.12966
M3 - Article
C2 - 29468728
SN - 0105-1873
VL - 78
SP - 373
EP - 385
JO - Contact Dermatitis
JF - Contact Dermatitis
IS - 6
ER -