RESUMEN
570 patients with occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) were seen between 1984 and 1990 at the Skin and Cancer Foundation in Sydney. 336 (59%) were followed up 1 to 5 years later. Roughly 1/3 were healed, 1/3 were improved without complete healing, 1/4 had no change and 1/12 of the patients had deteriorated. The overall improvement rate was in excess of 70%. Data derived from these patients demonstrated that changing the work duties of patients with OCD improved their outcome (p < 0.01), whilst leaving the industry altogether resulted in a greater overall healing rate (p < 0.01). No difference existed between the outcome of irritant contact dermatitis compared with allergic contact dermatitis. Atopics as expected had a worse prognosis. The outcome in the construction industry was significantly poorer than other industries. Patients suffering from allergic contact dermatitis from chromate also had a dismal prognosis.
Asunto(s)
Dermatitis por Contacto , Dermatitis Profesional , Dermatitis por Contacto/patología , Dermatitis Profesional/patología , Humanos , PronósticoRESUMEN
Five hundred and seventy patients with occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) were seen between 1984 and 1990 at the Skin and Cancer Foundation in Sydney. Data derived from these patients demonstrated that hairdressing, food, construction and the medical industries were the most at risk of OCD. The hairdressing and food industries had a high percentage of apprentices suffering OCD whilst the 35 to 44 year age bracket was most at risk in the construction industry. Allergic contact dermatitis was responsible for 38.2% of cases. The main allergens were chromate, thiuram, epoxy resin, nickel and cobalt. A third (33.9%) of patients were atopic. The average time lost from work was 16 days each year and the calculated yearly cost of OCD in New South Wales was approximately $12 million.
Asunto(s)
Dermatitis Profesional/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Dermatitis Profesional/economía , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Incidencia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Nueva Gales del Sur/epidemiología , Indemnización para Trabajadores/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To show that prick testing (using fresh samples of the food suspected from the patient's history) and not only patch testing is the appropriate investigation in selected cases of hand dermatitis in patients who spend considerable time handling foods (for example, catering workers, cooks). SETTING: The Contact and Occupational Dermatitis Clinic at the Skin and Cancer Foundation, a tertiary referral centre in Sydney. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients with hand dermatitis present for an average of 6.17 years referred by dermatologists and occupational health physicians. INTERVENTIONS: Patch and prick tests were performed for each patient. RESULT: In all patients prick tests identified the food allergens. Seafood was the most common allergen giving positive results in 10 patients. Patch tests did not identify any of the food allergens. Of the 14 patients nine were followed up and seven of these had been forced to change their career direction. CONCLUSION: Prick testing is the appropriate investigation in selected cases for the diagnosis of urticarial contact dermatitis in food handlers.
Asunto(s)
Dermatitis por Contacto/inmunología , Manipulación de Alimentos , Hipersensibilidad a los Alimentos/inmunología , Dermatosis de la Mano/inmunología , Urticaria/inmunología , Adolescente , Adulto , Dermatitis por Contacto/terapia , Femenino , Dermatosis de la Mano/terapia , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Cutáneas/métodos , Urticaria/terapiaRESUMEN
This paper examines the extent to which teenagers involve their parents in decision-making on the resolution of unwanted conceptions, even though legalization of abortion allows them to terminate their pregnancies without parental knowledge. Data were obtained from an anonymous questionnaire given to a Michigan-wide sample of women with unwanted conceptions. The part of the sample reported on here was 432 females who were less than 18 years old and unmarried at the time they became pregnant. It was found that although few adolescents consulted their parents when they first thought they might be pregnant, more than half did involve their mothers in pregnancy resolution decision-making. The findings indicate that the generation gap between parents and teenagers may be less than is often supposed.