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Influence of ambient meteorological conditions (temperature and absolute humidity) on a routine NaOH‐irritation test in occupational dermatology
Author(s) -
John Swen Malte,
Schwanitz HansJoachim,
Uter Wolfgang
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.0105-1873.2004.0309dq.x
Subject(s) - transepidermal water loss , medicine , irritation , irritant contact dermatitis , irritability , humidity , dermatology , contact dermatitis , surgery , allergy , pathology , immunology , meteorology , physics , menopause , stratum corneum
Dry air and cold weather have been shown to influence skin irritability. We have recently proposed a routine irritant patch test to assess skin irritability in a standardised fashion in occupational dermatology. The effects of local meteorological parameters on this test were studied. In 556 consecutive persons (276 female [median age: 36], 280 male [median age: 42]) with former occupational skin disease, who were seen for medico‐legal evaluation from Feb. 2000 to Aug. 2003, a swift modified alkaline resistance test (SMART) was conducted simultaneously in the volar forearm and the dorsum of the hand. The test comprises a 0.5 M NaOH‐challenge for 2 × 10 minutes with intermediate TEWL‐measurements and a clinical assessment with an NaCl 0.9% control site. TEWL was measured according to current guidelines. The outcome of each patient was related to standardised data on the local temperature [T] and absolute humidity [aH] on the day of examination, obtained by the German Meteorological Service. There was no relevant correlation between ‘ basal TEWL’ or ‘TEWL after NaOH’ and ‘aH’ or ‘T’, respectively. There was no association between meteorological conditions and demographic characteristics potentially relevant for susceptibility to irritants and, hence, no indication of confounding. In a logistic regression model increasing ‘aH’(OR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87–0.96 per 1 mg/l humidity) and ‘T’(OR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.81–0.97 per ° C) were associated with a decreasing likelihood of a clinically positive reaction to irritation. Although there are only slight seasonal effects detectable, they should be taken into consideration when interpreting the test.