Prevalence of contact allergy in children suffering from atopic dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis and in healthy controls.

Abstract

The statistically significant positive results in the highest proportion of patch tests in the youngest age subpopulation of children with atopic dermatitis, and detection of contact allergy most commonly in the youngest subgroup of healthy children, may suggest nonspecifically positive results associated with the immaturity of the epidermal barrier during the first years of life. Concentrations of contact allergens included in current pediatric sets of patch tests seems to be too high and should be verified.