Abstract
This study analyzed patients with metal allergy who underwent patch test (Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) in the past 5 years. Seventy-five patients (male 27, female 48, mean age 55.7 ± 18.7 years) were divided into three groups: metal allergy only (metal only group; n = 22), metal allergy complicated by pustolosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP group; n = 13), and metal allergy complicated by lichen planus or other conditions such as prurigo and hand dermatitis (LP group; n = 7). The result showed that patch tests were most frequently positive for gold thiosulfate, nickel, cobalt, para-phenylenediamine, and carba mix, in that order. The most common positive allergen was gold, at more than 70% in all three groups, followed by cobalt in the metal only group, nickel & carba mix in the PPP group, and carba mix and paraphenylenediamine in the LP group. Gold allergy increased markedly over the 5-year study period.
