Occupational Contact Allergy to Components of Epoxy Resin Systems: Descriptive and Comparative Epidemiological Analyses Based on IVDK Data 2008-2022.
Testing only epoxy resin misses reactive diluent or hardener allergy in some patients.
Occupational Contact Allergy to Components of Epoxy Resin Systems: Descriptive and Comparative Epidemiological Analyses Based on IVDK Data 2008-2022.
Epoxy resin systems (epoxy resin systems) frequently cause occupational allergic contact dermatitis.
To analyze and update sensitization frequencies to epoxy resin, reactive diluents and hardeners in patients with occupational dermatitis (occupational dermatitis).
Retrospective descriptive and comparative analysis of data collected by the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK) from occupational dermatitis patients patch tested with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) epoxy resin, 2008-2022.
diluent or hardener allergy alone missed in a small share of patients
DGEBA sensitization declined overall, with fluctuations, from 4.2% in 2008-2010 to 2.9% in 2020-2022 (p = 0.0014).
Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were highest for plastics processors (11.7; 95% CI, 8.1-16.6), bricklayers, cement and concrete workers (6.4; 5.1-8.0), and painters/varnishers (5.3; 4.0-6.9).
DGEBA-positive patients were most frequently co-sensitised to the reactive diluents 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether (43.6%), 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (35.7%), and phenyl glycidyl ether (30.8%), and to the hardener m-xylylenediamine (22.7%).
If contact allergy to epoxy resin systems components is suspected, not only DGEBA, but also reactive diluents and hardeners should be patch tested.
Prevention should prioritise exposure control, occupational hygiene, ongoing surveillance, and periodic test series updates.