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Contact allergy to reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins
Author(s) -
AaltoKorte Kristiina,
Kuuliala Outi,
HenriksEckerman MajLen,
Suuronen Katri
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1111/cod.12369
Subject(s) - diglycidyl ether , epoxy , bisphenol a , diluent , contact allergy , allergic contact dermatitis , contact dermatitis , allergy , chemistry , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , dermatology , medicine , immunology
Summary Background Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A resin ( DGEBA‐R ) is the most common sensitizer in epoxy systems, but a minority of patients also develop contact allergy to reactive diluents. Objectives To analyse the frequency and clinical relevance of allergic reactions to different epoxy reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins. Methods Test files ( J anuary 1991 to J une 2014) were screened, and the clinical records of patients with allergic reactions were analysed for occupation, concomitant allergic reactions, and exposure. Results A total of 67 patients reacted to at least one of the compounds. The largest numbers of allergic reactions were to phenyl glycidyl ether ( PGE ; n = 41), 1,4‐butanediol diglycidyl ether ( BDDGE ; n = 34), and p ‐tert‐butylphenyl glycidyl ether ( PTBPGE ; n = 19). Ten of the patients did not have contact allergy to DGEBA‐R . The reactions of 5 of these were related to the use of BDDGE ‐containing products. We found no significant exposure to PGE or PTBPGE in patients sensitized to them, but some of the patients had used cresyl glycidyl ether‐containing products. Conclusions Allergic reactions to reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins usually occurred together with reactions to DGEBA‐R . BDDGE was the clinically most significant compound, and was the sole cause of occupational allergic contact dermatitis in 3 patients.