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An outbreak of furniture related dermatitis ('sofa dermatitis') in Finland and the UK: history and clinical cases

Susitaival, P. ; Winhoven, S. M. ; Williams, J. ; Lammintausta, K. ; Hasan, T. ; Beck, M. H. ; Gruvberger, Birgitta LU ; Zimerson, Erik LU and Bruze, Magnus LU (2010) In Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 24(4). p.486-489
Abstract
In February 2007, an epidemic of severe dermatitis from Chinese recliner chairs and sofas started to unfold first in Finland and a few months later in the UK. Some patients reacted in patch tests (PTs) strongly to the material of their furniture, either leather or fabric. There have been hundreds of reports of chair or sofa dermatitis from Finland and the UK, with all cases linked to the same furniture factory in China. Clinical findings in both countries were very similar and unlike any known dermatosis. Many cases have been quite severe, resembling mycosis fungoides or septic infections, requiring hospitalization. Commercial PTs did not reveal the cause but a fungicide was strongly suspected, although such use was denied by the factory.... (More)
In February 2007, an epidemic of severe dermatitis from Chinese recliner chairs and sofas started to unfold first in Finland and a few months later in the UK. Some patients reacted in patch tests (PTs) strongly to the material of their furniture, either leather or fabric. There have been hundreds of reports of chair or sofa dermatitis from Finland and the UK, with all cases linked to the same furniture factory in China. Clinical findings in both countries were very similar and unlike any known dermatosis. Many cases have been quite severe, resembling mycosis fungoides or septic infections, requiring hospitalization. Commercial PTs did not reveal the cause but a fungicide was strongly suspected, although such use was denied by the factory. The laboratory of Malmo University Dermatology Clinic has helped in the process by making thin layer chromatograms from sofa or chair materials and test substances of suspected chemicals. Finally, sachets marked with 'mouldproof agent' were found in varying numbers and distribution in the sofas. These contained dimethyl fumarate (DMF) which proved in skin tests to cause strong positive reactions with down to 0.01 dilution. Reports from other countries (Belgium, France, Ireland, Sweden and Spain) have since appeared, and the EU has banned the use of DMF in consumer products. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
furniture, sofa dermatitis, epidemic, allergic contact dermatitis, dimethyl fumarate
in
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
volume
24
issue
4
pages
486 - 489
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000275206300020
  • scopus:77749262192
  • pmid:19796087
ISSN
1468-3083
DOI
10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03429.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Occupational and Environmental Dermatology Unit (013241310), Pediatrics/Urology/Gynecology/Endocrinology (013240400)
id
60643e38-3198-4e4e-b5d2-f6711367109c (old id 1589477)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:34:27
date last changed
2022-02-17 19:20:20
@article{60643e38-3198-4e4e-b5d2-f6711367109c,
  abstract     = {{In February 2007, an epidemic of severe dermatitis from Chinese recliner chairs and sofas started to unfold first in Finland and a few months later in the UK. Some patients reacted in patch tests (PTs) strongly to the material of their furniture, either leather or fabric. There have been hundreds of reports of chair or sofa dermatitis from Finland and the UK, with all cases linked to the same furniture factory in China. Clinical findings in both countries were very similar and unlike any known dermatosis. Many cases have been quite severe, resembling mycosis fungoides or septic infections, requiring hospitalization. Commercial PTs did not reveal the cause but a fungicide was strongly suspected, although such use was denied by the factory. The laboratory of Malmo University Dermatology Clinic has helped in the process by making thin layer chromatograms from sofa or chair materials and test substances of suspected chemicals. Finally, sachets marked with 'mouldproof agent' were found in varying numbers and distribution in the sofas. These contained dimethyl fumarate (DMF) which proved in skin tests to cause strong positive reactions with down to 0.01 dilution. Reports from other countries (Belgium, France, Ireland, Sweden and Spain) have since appeared, and the EU has banned the use of DMF in consumer products.}},
  author       = {{Susitaival, P. and Winhoven, S. M. and Williams, J. and Lammintausta, K. and Hasan, T. and Beck, M. H. and Gruvberger, Birgitta and Zimerson, Erik and Bruze, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{1468-3083}},
  keywords     = {{furniture; sofa dermatitis; epidemic; allergic contact dermatitis; dimethyl fumarate}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{486--489}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology}},
  title        = {{An outbreak of furniture related dermatitis ('sofa dermatitis') in Finland and the UK: history and clinical cases}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03429.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03429.x}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}