Several cases of undesirable effects caused by methacrylate ultraviolet-curing nail polish for non-professional use

BACKGROUND

Ultraviolet (UV)-curing nail polishes based on acrylates or methacrylates are currently also available for non-professional use. The Swedish Medical Products Agency recently prohibited one brand of UV-curing polish, because several consumers reported undesirable effects after using it.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether consumers with undesirable effects after using the UV-curing nail polish that was later prohibited were contact allergic to the polish and its individual ingredients.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Eight patients who had reported severe skin reactions after the use of the UV-curing polish were patch tested with two coatings of the nail polish and its ingredients at five dermatology departments in Sweden.

RESULTS

All patients tested except one showed contact allergic reactions to one or several of the acrylate-based or methacrylate-based ingredients in the nail polish.

CONCLUSIONS

The non-professional use of UV-curing nail polishes poses a risk of sensitization from acrylates and methacrylates.

Naturally occurring radioactivity in some Swedish concretes and their constituents - Assessment by using I-index and dose-model

The reference level for effective dose due to gamma radiation from building materials and construction products used for dwellings is set to 1 mSv per year (EC, 1996, 1999), (CE, 2014). Given the specific conditions presented by the EC in report 112 (1999) considering building and construction materials, an I-index of 1 may generate an effective dose of 1 mSv per year. This paper presents a comparison of the activity concentrations of (4)(0)K, (226)Ra and (232)Th of aggregates and when these aggregates constitute a part of concrete. The activity concentration assessment tool for building and construction materials, the I-index, introduced by the EC in 1996, is used in the comparison. A comparison of the I-indices values are also made with a recently presented dose model by Hoffman (2014), where density variations of the construction material and thickness of the construction walls within the building are considered. There was a ∼16-19% lower activity index in concretes than in the corresponding aggregates. The model by Hoffman further implies that the differences between the I-indices of aggregates and the concretes' final effective doses are even larger. The difference is due, mainly to a dilution effect of the added cement with low levels of natural radioisotopes, but also to a different and slightly higher subtracted background value (terrestrial value) used in the modeled calculation of the revised I-index by Hoffman (2014). Only very minimal contributions to the annual dose could be related to the water and additives used, due to their very low content of radionuclides reported.

Skincare products containing low concentrations of formaldehyde detected by the chromotropic acid method cannot be safely used in formaldehyde-allergic patients

BACKGROUND

Formaldehyde is a well-known contact sensitizer. Formaldehyde releasers are widely used preservatives in skincare products. It has been found that formaldehyde at concentrations allowed by the European Cosmetics Directive can cause allergic contact dermatitis. However, we still lack information on whether formaldehyde at low concentrations affects dermatitis in formaldehyde-allergic individuals.

OBJECTIVES

To study the effects of low concentrations of formaldehyde on irritant contact dermatitis in formaldehyde-allergic individuals.

METHODS

Fifteen formaldehyde-allergic individuals and a control group of 12 individuals without contact allergy to formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers were included in the study. The individuals performed the repeated open application test (ROAT) during 4 weeks with four different moisturizers releasing formaldehyde in concentrations that had been determined as > 40, 20-40, 2·5-10 and 0 p.p.m. by the chromotropic acid (CA) spot test. Dimethyloldimethylhydantoin was used as a formaldehyde releaser in the moisturizers. The ROAT was performed on areas of experimentally induced sodium lauryl sulfate dermatitis. The study was double blind, controlled and randomized.

RESULTS

Nine of the 15 formaldehyde-allergic individuals had reappearance or worsening of dermatitis on the areas that were treated with moisturizers containing formaldehyde. No such reactions were observed in the control group (P < 0·001) or for the moisturizers without formaldehyde in the formaldehyde-allergic individuals (P < 0·001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that the low concentrations of formaldehyde often found in skincare products by the CA method are sufficient to worsen an existing dermatitis in formaldehyde-allergic individuals.

Swedish Experiences From Patch Testing Methylisothiazolinone Separately

The preservative methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) is a well-known sensitiser and present in the Swedish baseline series since the 1980s. The proportions of MCI/MI are 3:1. MI alone has been used as a preservative since less than 10 years. This study was conducted on behalf of the Swedish Contact Dermatitis Research Group to evaluate inclusion of MI in the Swedish baseline series since the preparation of MCI/MI might fail to detect contact-allergic reactions to MI alone. Patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis at 5 Swedish dermatology departments were consecutively patch tested with MI 2,000 ppm aq and MCI/MI 200 ppm aq. The number of cases with exclusive contact allergy to MI varied between 0.8-4.2%. In total, 1.9% reacted exclusively to MI and not to MCI/MI. Due to the considerable frequency of contact allergy to MI not traced by MCI/MI, MI 2,000 ppm aq is included in the Swedish baseline series from January 2014. This corresponds to a dose of 60 μg/cm2.

Children with Atopic Dermatitis Should Always be Patch-tested if They Have Hand or Foot Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is the most common chronic inflammatory disease among children in industrialised countries. Many factors influence this disease in a negative way and contact allergy is one such factor. The aim of the study was to examine the frequency of contact allergy among children with the diagnosis atopic dermatitis. Contact allergy was found in 22/82 children (26.8%), the most common from Amerchol L101 (11.0%), potassium dichromate (7.3%), and nickel sulfate (4.9%). A statistically significant difference in contact allergy frequency was demonstrated for those with hand and/or foot eczema compared to those without. Children with atopic dermatitis who suffer from hand and/or foot dermatitis should always be patch-tested to evaluate whether they have a relevant contact allergy and thus allergic contact dermatitis.

Patch testing with a textile dye mix in two concentrations - a multicentre study by the Swedish contact dermatitis research group

Disperse dyes, which are used for colouring synthetic textile fibres, are well-known contact sensitisers. To investigate the outcome of patch-testing with a textile dye mix (TDM) at 7 dermatology clinics in Sweden, a TDM tested at 2 concentrations was included into the baseline series during one year. The mix consisted of Disperse (D) Blue 35, D Yellow 3, D Orange 1 and 3, D Red 1 and 17, all 1.0%, and D Blue 106 and D Blue 124, each 0.3% in the mix 6.6% and 1.0% each in the mix 8.0%. In 2,122 tested patients, contact allergy to the TDM at the concentration 8.0% was found in 2.8% and to the TDM at 6.6% in 2.5% of the patients. The contact allergy to the TDM could explain or contribute to the dermatitis in about 35% of the patients.

CONCLUSION

contact allergy to the TDM is common and inclusion into the Swedish baseline series should be considered.

Methylisothiazolinone contact allergy is rising to alarming heights also in southern Sweden

The preservative methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) is a well-known sensitiser and present in most baseline series since at least 20 years. The proportions of MCI/MI are 3:1. MI alone has been used as a preservative in occupational and household products, and cosmetics since less than 10 years. MCI/MI tested at 100 ppm fails to detect a significant percentage of contact-allergic reactions to MI. Our aim was to investigate whether a separate test preparation with MI picks up additional cases of contact allergy to MI not detected with MCI/MI 200 ppm. MI was inserted into the baseline series of the Malmö clinic in 2003 starting at 475 ppm, then 900 ppm, then 1,000 ppm, 1,500 ppm and finally 2,000 ppm. In 5,881 consecutively tested dermatitis patients the contact allergy rate for MI varied between 0.5 and 6.5%, with a marked increase in recent years. The contact allergy rate to MI 2,000 ppm alone, not traced by MCI/MI 200 ppm, varied between 0 and 1.9 %. In conclusion, due to the increase of contact allergy to MI not traced by MCI/MI 200 ppm, MI in water at 2,000 ppm should be tested in a baseline series. Independent of patch test technique a dose of 60 µg/cm should not be exceeded to avoid adverse reactions and particularly patch test sensitisation.

Swedish Experiences From Patch Testing Methylisothiazolinone Separately

The preservative methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) is a well-known sensitiser and present in the Swedish baseline series since the 1980s. The proportions of MCI/MI are 3:1. MI alone has been used as a preservative since less than 10 years. This study was conducted on behalf of the Swedish Contact Dermatitis Research Group to evaluate inclusion of MI in the Swedish baseline series since the preparation of MCI/MI might fail to detect contact-allergic reactions to MI alone. Patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis at 5 Swedish dermatology departments were consecutively patch tested with MI 2,000 ppm aq and MCI/MI 200 ppm aq. The number of cases with exclusive contact allergy to MI varied between 0.8-4.2%. In total, 1.9% reacted exclusively to MI and not to MCI/MI. Due to the considerable frequency of contact allergy to MI not traced by MCI/MI, MI 2,000 ppm aq is included in the Swedish baseline series from January 2014. This corresponds to a dose of 60 μg/cm2.

Assessment of Preparation of Samples Under the Field Conditions and a Portable Real-Time RT-PCR Assay for the Rapid On-Site Detection of Newcastle Disease Virus

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), also known as virulent forms of avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (AMPV-1), is the causative agent of Newcastle disease affecting many species of birds and causing heavy losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Early, rapid and sensitive detection of the viruses or the viral nucleic acids is very important for disease diagnosis and control. This study aimed to evaluate sample preparation under field conditions and the application of a real-time RT-PCR method in the portable T-COR4 platform for the rapid, on-site detection of NDV on a farm. In the laboratory setting, the portable real-time RT-PCR assay had a similar performance compared with that obtained with a larger, stationary Rotor Gene real-time thermocycler. In the field conditions, viral nucleic acids were manually extracted just outside of animal units with minimal equipment and real-time RT-PCR detection was performed with the portable thermocycler T-COR4 placed in a nearby room. The portable assay at the farm detected viral RNA in 15 samples and reached an agreement of 83% (39/47) when the same RNA preparations were tested in the Rotor Gene thermocycler under the laboratory setting. The results demonstrated the feasibility of performing field detection but also the need to improve and further simplify sample preparation procedures.

Patch testing with a textile dye mix in two concentrations - a multicentre study by the Swedish contact dermatitis research group

Disperse dyes, which are used for colouring synthetic textile fibres, are well-known contact sensitisers. To investigate the outcome of patch-testing with a textile dye mix (TDM) at 7 dermatology clinics in Sweden, a TDM tested at 2 concentrations was included into the baseline series during one year. The mix consisted of Disperse (D) Blue 35, D Yellow 3, D Orange 1 and 3, D Red 1 and 17, all 1.0%, and D Blue 106 and D Blue 124, each 0.3% in the mix 6.6% and 1.0% each in the mix 8.0%. In 2,122 tested patients, contact allergy to the TDM at the concentration 8.0% was found in 2.8% and to the TDM at 6.6% in 2.5% of the patients. The contact allergy to the TDM could explain or contribute to the dermatitis in about 35% of the patients.

CONCLUSION

contact allergy to the TDM is common and inclusion into the Swedish baseline series should be considered.

Patch testing with formaldehyde 2.0% in parallel with 1.0% by the Swedish contact dermatitis research group

In a multicentre study consecutively patch-tested dermatitis patients were tested simultaneously with 1.0% and 2.0% (w/v) formaldehyde in aqua applied with a micropipette (15 µl) to the filter paper disc in Finn Chambers (0.30 mg/cm(2) and 0.60 mg/cm(2), respectively). A total of 2,122 dermatitis patients were patch-tested. In all, 77 (3.6%) patients reacted positively to formaldehyde; 37 reacted only to 2.0%, 35 reacted to both concentrations and 5 patients reacted only to 1.0%. Significantly more patients were thus diagnosed with contact allergy to formaldehyde with 2.0% compared to 1.0% (p < 0.001) without causing more irritant reactions. The detected number of isolated allergic reactions to the 2 formaldehyde-releasers in the Swedish baseline series and not to formaldehyde itself raises the question whether quaternium-15 1.0% and diazolidinyl urea 2.0% should be present in the Swedish baseline series.