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. 2019 Feb;80(2):101-109.
doi: 10.1111/cod.13137. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Contact sensitization to hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool: Results of consecutive patch testing and clinical relevance

Daan Dittmar  1 , Marie L A Schuttelaar  1
Affiliations

Contact sensitization to hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool: Results of consecutive patch testing and clinical relevance

Daan Dittmar et al. Contact Dermatitis. 2019 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool are potent sensitizers.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of contact allergy to both hydroperoxides of limonene and hydroperoxides of linalool, to report clinical relevance, and to investigate patient demographics.

Methods: A total of 821 patients (35.6% male, mean age 42.4 years ± 17.8 years) were consecutively patch tested with our departmental baseline series and our fragrance series, including hydroperoxides of limonene 0.3% pet. and hydroperoxides of linalool 1.0% pet. The clinical relevance was assessed for all positive reactions.

Results: Positive patch test reactions to hydroperoxides of limonene and to hydroperoxides of linalool were observed in 77 patients (9.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.4%-11.4%) and in 96 patients (11.7%, 95%CI: 9.5%-13.9%), respectively; 38 of these patients (4.6%, 95%CI: 3.2%-6.0%) reacted to both. Most reactions were considered to be possibly or probably clinically relevant (66.3% and 68.8%, respectively), and a small proportion were deemed to be of certain clinical relevance (18.2% and 19.8%, respectively).

Conclusion: As compared with previous studies, high numbers of positive reactions to both hydroperoxides of limonene and hydroperoxides of linalool were observed, the majority of which were clinically relevant, supporting their inclusion in the European baseline series.

Keywords: allergic contact dermatitis; clinical relevance; contact allergy; fragrances; hydroperoxides of limonene; hydroperoxides of linalool; patch testing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Venn diagram illustrating the different groups of patients based on their patch test outcomes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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