Results of patch testing with a specialized collection of plastic and glue allergens

Patch testing was performed on 235 patients with a specialized collection of plastic and glue components. Thirteen percent had a positive response to at least one of the allergens. Seventy-four percent of the responses were relevant to either the present or a past problem, and 64% were occupationally related. The substances that yielded the greater percentage of positive responses were ethylenediamine, triethylenetetramine, diethylenetriamine, diaminodiphenylmethane, melamine formaldehyde resin, phenol formaldehyde resin, cresylglycidylether, phenylglycidylether, and N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine. Of the 47 agents used, 26 did not elicit any positive responses. There were few distinguishing characteristics between those who exhibited a positive response to these agents and those who did not. In 12 cases (5% of those tested), the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis would have been missed if the plastics and glues components were not used.