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Causes of irritant contact dermatitis after occupational skin exposure : a systematic review

Jacobsen, Gitte ; Rasmussen, Kurt ; Bregnhøj, Anne ; Isaksson, Marléne LU ; Diepgen, Thomas L. and Carstensen, Ole (2022) In International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 95(1). p.35-65
Abstract

Purpose: Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is a major cause of occupational disease. The aim was to review the relation between exposure to occupational irritants and ICD and the prognosis of ICD. Methods: Through a systematic search, 1516 titles were identified, and 48 studies were included in the systematic review. Results: We found that the evidence for an association between ICD and occupational irritants was strong for wet work, moderate for detergents and non-alcoholic disinfectants, and strong for a combination. The highest quality studies provided limited evidence for an association with use of occlusive gloves without other exposures and moderate evidence with simultaneous exposure to other wet work irritants. The evidence for... (More)

Purpose: Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is a major cause of occupational disease. The aim was to review the relation between exposure to occupational irritants and ICD and the prognosis of ICD. Methods: Through a systematic search, 1516 titles were identified, and 48 studies were included in the systematic review. Results: We found that the evidence for an association between ICD and occupational irritants was strong for wet work, moderate for detergents and non-alcoholic disinfectants, and strong for a combination. The highest quality studies provided limited evidence for an association with use of occlusive gloves without other exposures and moderate evidence with simultaneous exposure to other wet work irritants. The evidence for an association between minor ICD and exposure to metalworking fluids was moderate. Regarding mechanical exposures, the literature was scarce and the evidence limited. We found that the prognosis for complete healing of ICD is poor, but improves after decrease of exposure through change of occupation or work tasks. There was no substantial evidence for an influence of gender, age, or household exposures. Inclusion of atopic dermatitis in the analysis did not alter the risk of ICD. Studies were at risk of bias, mainly due to selection and misclassification of exposure and outcome. This may have attenuated the results. Conclusion: This review reports strong evidence for an association between ICD and a combination of exposure to wet work and non-alcoholic disinfectants, moderate for metalworking fluids, limited for mechanical and glove exposure, and a strong evidence for a poor prognosis of ICD.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Hand eczema, Irritant contact dermatitis, Occupational contact dermatitis, Prognosis, Skin exposure
in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
volume
95
issue
1
pages
35 - 65
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85117293971
  • pmid:34665298
ISSN
0340-0131
DOI
10.1007/s00420-021-01781-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6326619b-0ada-4c88-b8a5-50a503fb9f8f
date added to LUP
2021-12-15 15:19:18
date last changed
2024-04-20 18:08:51
@article{6326619b-0ada-4c88-b8a5-50a503fb9f8f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is a major cause of occupational disease. The aim was to review the relation between exposure to occupational irritants and ICD and the prognosis of ICD. Methods: Through a systematic search, 1516 titles were identified, and 48 studies were included in the systematic review. Results: We found that the evidence for an association between ICD and occupational irritants was strong for wet work, moderate for detergents and non-alcoholic disinfectants, and strong for a combination. The highest quality studies provided limited evidence for an association with use of occlusive gloves without other exposures and moderate evidence with simultaneous exposure to other wet work irritants. The evidence for an association between minor ICD and exposure to metalworking fluids was moderate. Regarding mechanical exposures, the literature was scarce and the evidence limited. We found that the prognosis for complete healing of ICD is poor, but improves after decrease of exposure through change of occupation or work tasks. There was no substantial evidence for an influence of gender, age, or household exposures. Inclusion of atopic dermatitis in the analysis did not alter the risk of ICD. Studies were at risk of bias, mainly due to selection and misclassification of exposure and outcome. This may have attenuated the results. Conclusion: This review reports strong evidence for an association between ICD and a combination of exposure to wet work and non-alcoholic disinfectants, moderate for metalworking fluids, limited for mechanical and glove exposure, and a strong evidence for a poor prognosis of ICD.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jacobsen, Gitte and Rasmussen, Kurt and Bregnhøj, Anne and Isaksson, Marléne and Diepgen, Thomas L. and Carstensen, Ole}},
  issn         = {{0340-0131}},
  keywords     = {{Hand eczema; Irritant contact dermatitis; Occupational contact dermatitis; Prognosis; Skin exposure}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{35--65}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health}},
  title        = {{Causes of irritant contact dermatitis after occupational skin exposure : a systematic review}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00420-021-01781-0}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00420-021-01781-0}},
  volume       = {{95}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}