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Background: In 2019, a number of allergens (haptens), henceforth, "the audit allergens," were considered as potential additions to the European Baseline Series (EBS), namely, sodium metabisulfite, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, Compositae mix II (2.5% or 5% pet), linalool hydroperoxides (lin-OOH), limonene hydroperoxides (lim-OOH), benzisothiazolinone (BIT), octylisothiazolinone (OIT), decyl glucoside, and lauryl glucoside; Evernia furfuracea (tree moss), was additionally tested by some departments as well., Objectives: To collect further data on patch test reactivity and clinical relevance of the audit allergens in consecutive patients across Europe., Methods: Patch test data covering the audit allergens in 2019 and 2020 were collected by those departments of the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies testing these, as well as further collaborators from the EBS working group of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD), and the Spanish Grupo Español de Investigación en Dermatitis de Contacto y Alergia Cutánea. As patch test outcome, reactions between day (D) 3 and D5 were considered., Results: Altogether n = 12 403 patients were tested with any of the audit allergen. Positive reactions were most common to lin-OOH 1% pet. (8.74% [95%CI: 8.14-9.37%]), followed by lin-OOH 0.5% pet., and lim-OOH 0.3% pet (5.41% [95% CI: 4.95-5.89%]). Beyond these terpene hydroperoxides, BIT 0.1% pet. was the second most common allergen with 4.72% (95% CI: 4.2-5.28%), followed by sodium metabisulfite 1% pet. (3.75% [95%CI: 3.32-4.23%]) and Compositae mix 5% pet. (2.31% [95% CI: 1.84-2.87%]). For some allergens, clinical relevance was frequently difficult to ascertain., Conclusions: Despite many positive patch test reactions, it remains controversial whether lin- and lim-OOH should be tested routinely, while at least the two preservatives BIT and sodium metabisulfite appear suitable. The present results are a basis for further discussion and ultimately decision on their implementation into routine testing among the ESCD members., (© 2022 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The contact allergy prevalences in patch-tested patients are usually higher than those in the population, owing to morbidity-driven selection., Objectives: To examine the differences between two samples, one from the population, one from the patch test clinic, in one area of Germany (Jena, Thuringia)., Methods: Between August 2008 and October 2011, a total of 519 participants of the population-based european dermato-epidemiology network (EDEN) fragrance study were patch tested in Jena using a TRUE Test baseline series extended with some pet.-based (fragrance) allergen preparations. Between 2007 and 2012 (inclusive), 1906 routine patients were patch tested for suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the Jena University Hospital Department; of these 1694 (83.2%) with the German baseline series using pet./aq.-based, investigator-loaded allergens., Results: In the population (clinical) sample, 19.6% (41.1%) were sensitized to at least one of the allergens considered. The most common baseline series allergens in the population/clinical sample were nickel (10.5%/13.2%), fragrance mix (FM) II (2.9%/6.7%), FM I (2.3%/8.3%), and cobalt (1.6%/5%). The clinical sample was slightly older (71.5% vs 55.9% age 40+) and included less males (36% vs 49.3%)., Conclusions: Results are quite similar, although prevalences are usually higher in the clinical setting, with the exception of p-tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin., (© 2021 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Hereditary factors may influence individual susceptibility to contact allergy., Objectives: To investigate genetic variants with impacts on early inflammatory reactions and T cell functions that possibly increase the risk of contact allergy., Patients and Methods: Three hundred and seventy two patients undergoing patch testing were recruited from the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK). Of these, 133 were monosensitized and 239 were polysensitized, defined as reacting to three or more unrelated sensitizers. Within the polysensitized individuals, a subgroup with at least one particularly strong patch test reaction (strong reactors; n = 194) was considered. Three hundred and forty-seven blood bank donors served as controls. Fifteen genetic variants in 13 genes were analysed., Results: The homozygous variant CXCL11 AA genotype (rs6817952) was significantly more frequent among polysensitized patients (10 of 239 = 4.2%; p = 0.0048; odds ratio 7.49; 95%CI: 1.7-36.1) than among monosensitized patients (2.2%) and in the control group (0.6%). None of the remaining genetic variants investigated were characterized by similarly strong associations. However, the significance was lost after correction for multiple comparisons., Conclusions: The homozygous variant CXCL11 genotype is associated with an increased risk of contact allergy. To confirm this exploratory finding, further independent studies are needed., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)