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Occupational dermatitis in a 10–year material
Author(s) -
Fregert Sigfrid
Publication year - 1975
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.1600-0536.1975.tb05334.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dermatology , contact dermatitis , allergy , allergic contact dermatitis , atopic dermatitis , irritant contact dermatitis , nickel allergy , occupational dermatitis , contact allergy , immunology
This study included 1,752 patients considered to have occupational dermatoses. The most common diagnosis was contact dermatitis. The dermatitis was of an allergic type in three‐quarters of men and in half of women. One‐fifth of the women with irritant contact dermatitis had an atopic history. Contact dermatitis was localized on the hands in 94 % of women and in 84 % of men. The most common allergens in men were chromium, rubber and plastic, and in women nickel, rubber and chromium. Chromium allergy occurred in four‐fifths of the men in the building, metal and tanning industries. In one‐fifth of the women, nickel allergy developed in cleaning work. Rutter allergy developed in the rubber industry in one‐fifth of the cases. Half of the women with contact dermatitis were engaged in either nursing or cleaning work. A follow‐up 2‐3 years after treatment of 555 patients with contact dermatitis was completed by means of questionnaires. The eczema was healed in tine‐quarter of the patients, on‐Half had periodic symptoms, and one‐quarter had permanent symptoms. The prognosis was the same for those who changed their work or slopped working as it was for those who continued their eczema‐inducing work.