Clinico-allergological pattern of allergic contact dermatitis among 70 Indian children.

BACKGROUND Rapid urbanization, westernization of lifestyles, poor quality of objects available and extremely relaxed vigilance on adherence to 'product safety guidelines' make any developing country like India highly susceptible to allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) even in children. There has been no previous attempts to assess the magnitude of childhood ACD in India. AIMS To assess the clinico-allergological profile of ACD in Indian children. METHODS All consecutive children up to 15 completed years of age who were patch tested over the last 3 years were analyzed from the records. RESULTS A total of 70 children were studied (average age of disease onset 8.39+/-3.59 years [SD], range 1-15 years and average age of presentation 10.8 +/- 2.99 years [SD], range 5-15 years). Relevant allergy was noted in 48.6% of the patients. Age and sex had no significant role on the prevalence of ACD. Common allergens were paraben (43%), potassium dichromate (27%) and fragrance mix (26%). Most relevant allergens were potassium dichromate, paraben and fragrance. Foot was the most commonly involved site (25.7% of patients). Atopy was present in 18 patients (25.7%). A total of 22 irritant reactions were noted in 13 patients. CONCLUSION This study reflects the current status of childhood ACD of this region.