Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is estimated that 20% of the general population is sensitized to some kind of contact allergen. Contact dermatitis is one of the major occupational diseases worldwide. This disease has a higher prevalence in the female gender and is more frequently observed in the third or fourth decade of life. The main objective of this study was to describe the main sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with contact dermatitis treated in the Allergy Unit of the San Juan De Dios Hospital - Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social. METHODS: Clinical records of contact dermatitis outpatients from a single hospital were analyzed, in a 4-year retrospective observational study. RESULTS: At the time of the patch testing, patients showed a mean age of 42.2 years. Disease frequency was higher in the female population (female/male ratio of 4.2:1) and in patients mostly dedicated to household workchores. Most patients presented several years of disease history, and the hands were the highest affected body part. Patch testing revealed that nickel sulfate, Cl+Me-Isothiazolinone (Kathon CG), and thimerosal were allergens regularly associated with contact dermatitis in the analyzed population. CONCLUSIONS: To a great extent, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics identified in these patients resemble what is reported in other regions, including the Americas and worldwide. It is worth highlighting a high female proportion rate probably related to cultural aspects, a smaller percentage of irritant contact dermatitis that may be associated to institutional patient management, and a slight difference in the most common allergens when compared to other published studies.