Epidemiología de la dermatitis de contacto: pruebas epicutáneas estándar en el Instituto Nacional de Dermatología de Colombia

Abstract

IntroductionContact dermatitis is a frequent cause of consultation in Colombia, where there is a lack of information about its epidemiology and its origin. ObjectiveTo describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics and the results of epicutaneous tests performed at the Federico Lleras Acosta Dermatology Center, Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and methodsA descriptive study and analysis was performed on the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of the patients who underwent epicutaneous tests with the standard European battery of allergens. ResultsMore than two-thirds (68%) of the patients showeded positive results in the epicutaneous tests. The most common allergen was nickel, followed by Peruvian balm, and fragrances. The age groups between 20 to 29 and 50 to 59 years were the most affected. The most common occupation and outside work activity were household tasks. The most affected areas of the body were hands (27.4%). Erythematous desquamative plaques were observed in 52% of those affected, and current relevance was found in 80% of the patients studied. ConclusionsWomen were more affected than men. Nickel, fragrances, and preservatives were the predominant allergens, which is consistent with that reported in the international literature. There were no positive results to allergens such as budesonide, which shows the need to develop multicentre studies in Colombia that would help include new allergens and discard others.