History of hand eczema as risk factor in developing reactions to gloves

Abstract

Objective To assess the significance of a personal history of atopy and other risk factors for UK dentists reporting an adverse reaction to natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves.Design Questionnaire survey.Intervention A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 2535 dentists of whom 1034 (group 1) had reported an adverse reaction to NRL gloves and 1501 (group 2) had not. The signs and symptoms reported by group 1 dentists were recorded.Outcome measures Logistic regression analysis was used to identify a set of risk factors that produced the most discrete model for a dentist reporting an adverse reaction to NRL gloves. Risk factors entered into the analysis were gender, years in clinical practice, exposure to gloves and a history of atopy (asthma, hay fever, eczema) or food allergy.Results Dentists with a history of eczema and hand eczema in childhood were most likely to report an adverse reaction to NRL gloves. Female dentists were more likely to develop a self-reported reaction to NRL gloves (women have a higher prevalence of hand dermatitis generally). Dentists practising for less than 10 years were at greater risk.Conclusion A personal history of atopy was a significant risk factor. Hand eczema in childhood carries the highest risk. Hand care, including correct glove selection and hand disinfection, should be taught to undergraduates. Dentists should choose a powder-free NRL glove, low in residual accelerators and latex proteins.