Sensibilización a formaldehído y sus liberadores en dermatología profesional: estudio de los últimos 6 años

Abstract

Introduction Sensitization to formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing substances is sometimes an occupational hazard, producing serious consequences in the exercise of some professions. Materials and methods Patients’ medical histories were reviewed and a retrospective examination was performed of those with positive results in skin contact tests to formaldehyde, quaternium-15, diazolidinyl urea or imidazolidinyl urea in the standard battery (TRUE TEST ®), as well as in standard batteries to cosmetics, cutting oils, etc. (Chemotecnique ®) between 2005 and 2010, both inclusive. Results Of 3037 patients who underwent a dermatology examination at work, 38 were sensitized to formaldehyde. Among sensitized patients (17 monosensitized), 32 showed a direct association between exposure and symptoms. Concomitant sensitization to formaldehyde and quaternium-15 was found in 78%. Among metallurgical workers with positive skin tests to formaldehyde (n = 17), nine showed concomitant sensitization to quaternium-5 and eight to biobans and all showed cosensitization to formaldehyde. One-third of the patients sensitized to diazonidyl urea (n = 3) and to imidazolinyl urea (n = 3), showed cosensitization to formaldehyde. Among women hairdressers, three showed sensitization to formaldehyde and only two showed sensitization to quaternium-15 without cosensitization to formaldehyde. In other professions, all cases of positivity to formaldehyde showed cosensitization to formaldehyde-releasing substances. Conclusions Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing substances should be evaluated and studied in the differential diagnosis of contact eczema at work, especially in metallurgical workers, since most cases show a clear association between exposure and symptoms.