Peter J. Frosch

Richard J.G. Rycroft

A. Dooms-Goossens

J.-M. Lachapelle

R.J. Scheper

In recent years the field of contact dermatitis has increased greatly in importance in dermatology. The variety of exogenous, environmental ly caused dermatoses has undoubtedly expanded over the past few de cades with the increasing number of potentially toxic chemicals, the changes in lifestyle, and the greater life expectancy in industrialized societies. The value of international cooperation in this field has long been realized and acted upon by the International Contact Dermatitis Re search Group (ICDRG). By 1975 the international journal Contact Dermatitis had been founded under the editorship of C. D. Calnan. Thanks largely to the ICDRG and Contact Dermatitis, there were, by 1986, enough additional dermatologists and scientists with a special interest in this area to form the European Environmental and Contact Dermatitis Research Group (EECDRG). Within 2 years they had in stituted the European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) as an in ternational forum for researchers in the field. The EECDRG decided to hold a symposium in Heidelberg in May 1988, an initiative supported by the ICDRG, and on this occasion the new ESCD held its inaugural session. The Society already has over 200 members and most national contact dermatitis research groups in Europe are already represented; new members are of course welcome. Subgroups and working committees have been formed to address var ious topics including the standardization of patch testing, photoder matology, and bioengineering.

Current Topics in Contact Dermatitis

Torkil Menne

10. 1. 1. 1 The Purpose of Patch Testing Patch testing is a well-established method of diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis, a delayed type of hypersensitivity (type IV reaction). Patients with a history and clinical picture of contact dermatitis are reexposed to the suspected allergens under controlled conditions to verify the diagnosis. Besides testing patients with hand, arm, face or leg eczema (stasis dermatitis), testing of other types of eczema (atopic, seborrhoeic dermatitis, nummular eczema) is sometimes indicated, especially when the dermatologist suspects contact allergy to prescribed topical medicaments and their vehicles. Apart from its use to confirm a suspected allergic contact dermatitis, the patch test procedure can also be used before recommending alternative corti costeroids, skin care products, cosmetics, gloves, etc. in a particular patient. If the patient does not react to the alternatives tested, it is very unlikely that she or he will react to the products in ordinary use. 10. 1. 1.2 Standardization The first patch tests according to present principles were carried out in 1895 [1], but were preceded by some preliminary experiments [2] (see Chap. 1).

Richard J.G. Rycroft

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