Ingredients cause hypersensitivity.(NEWS)(Clinical report)

PRAGUE -- Ingredients commonly found in topical pharmaceutical agents and cosmetics may cause hypersensitivity in patients with chronic eczema, according to the results of a large study.

The frequency of sensitization to certain adjuvant ingredients was more than 10% in men and women, Dr. Eliska Dastychova of Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, reported at the International Congress of Dermatology. "When identifying the causes of contact eczema in chronic eczematics, testing of the adjuvants of pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations possibly involved in the chronicity or relapse of eczema is advisable," said Dr. Dastychova. Patients with chronic eczema have an inherently greater potential for contact sensitivity.

To identify the key sources of contact sensitivity, investigators conducted patch tests in 2,218 patients with chronic eczema, 1,531 of whom were women. The tests determined the patients' sensitivity to 29 ingredients often found in topical pharmaceutical and cosmetic compounds. Testing consisted of 48-hour exposure to test strips, followed by reaction assessment at 48, 72, and 96 hours.

Dr. Dastychova reported that 11.5% of women and 10% of men demonstrated sensitivity to thimerosal. Wood alcohols came in second at 3.5% for men and 3.7% for women. (See box.)

The study was supported by a government grant from the Czech Republic. The authors reported no conflicts.

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