Contact allergy in Swedish professional ice hockey players

• Background: Professional ice hockey players may contract irritant and allergic contact dermatitis.Aims: To investigate the presence of contact allergy (CA) in professional ice hockey players in Sweden.Methods: Ten teams from the two top leagues were assessed for potential occupational exposure to sensitizers. Exactly 107 players were patch tested with an extended baseline series and a working series, in total 74 test preparations. The CA rates were compared between the ice hockey players and controls from the general population and dermatitis patients.Results: One out of 4 players had at least one contact allergy. The most common sensitizers were Amerchol L 101, nickel and oxidized limonene. CA was as common in the ice hockey players as in dermatitis patients and significantly more common than in the general population. Fragrances and combined sensitizers in cosmetic products (fragrances + preservatives + emulsifier) were significantly more common in ice hockey players compared with the general population.Conclusion: The possible relationship between CA to fragrances and cosmetic products on the one hand and the presence of dermatitis on the other should be explored further.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Dermatologi och venereologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

allergic contact dermatitis

delayed hypersensitivity

dermatitis controls

general population

patch testing

professional athletes

working series

Medicinsk vetenskap

Medical Science

allergic contact dermatitis

delayed hypersensitivity

dermatitis controls

general population

patch testing

professional athletes

working series

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)