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Oral prednisone suppresses allergic but not irritant patch test reactions in individuals hypersensitive to nickel
Author(s) -
Anveden Ingegärd,
Lindberg Magnus,
Andersen Klaus E.,
Bruze Magnus,
Isaksson Marléne,
Liden Carola,
Sommerlund Mette,
Wahlberg Jan E.,
Wilkinson John D.,
Willis Carolyn M.
Publication year - 2004
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/j.0105-1873.2004.00340.x
Subject(s) - prednisone , patch test , chemistry , crossover study , allergy , placebo , dermatology , medicine , immunology , gastroenterology , pathology , alternative medicine
A multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, crossover study was designed to investigate the effects of prednisone on allergic and irritant patch test reactions. 24 subjects with known allergy to nickel were recruited and patch tested with a nickel sulfate dilution series in aqueous solution, 5% nickel sulfate in petrolatum and 2 dilution series of the irritants nonanoic acid and sodium lauryl sulfate. The subjects were tested ×2, both during treatment with prednisone 20 mg oral daily and during placebo treatment. The total number of positive nickel patch test reactions decreased significantly in patients during prednisone treatment. The threshold concentration to elicit a patch test reaction increased and the overall degree of reactivity to nickel sulfate shifted towards weaker reactions. The effect of prednisone treatment on the response to irritants was divergent with both increased and decreased numbers of reactions, although there were no statistically significant differences compared with placebo. It is concluded that oral treatment with prednisone suppresses patch test reactivity to nickel, but not to the irritants tested.