Prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis in children with and without atopic dermatitis: A multicenter retrospective case-control study
Clinical Summary
View sourceWhat was studied
A multicenter retrospective case-control analysis of the Pediatric Allergic Contact Dermatitis Registry (2018–2022) comparing contact allergen patch test results in 912 children, 615 with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 297 without AD.
Key findings
Children with AD had more than 1 positive patch test (P=0.005), a higher mean number of positive tests overall (2.3 vs 1.9; P=0.012), longer dermatitis duration (4.1 vs 1.6 years; P<.0001), and more generalized dermatitis (P=0.001). Positive patch tests to bacitracin (P=0.030), carba mix (P=0.025), and cocamidopropyl betaine (P=0.0007) were more frequent in AD than non-AD children.
Study limitations
Retrospective registry design with technical variation between providers and potential misclassification, selection, and recall biases.
Clinical implications
In children with AD, consider referral for allergic contact dermatitis evaluation and patch testing, as they show higher rates of positive patch tests and sensitization to specific allergens.
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