Étude rétrospective (2007–2022) des causes de dermatites allergiques de contact en Algérie identifiées par la batterie standard européenne : à propos de 202 cas

The European Baseline Series (EBS) of patch tests is the essential tool for allergological exploration of patients suspected of allergic contact dermatitis. The main objective of our study was to define the epidemiological, clinical characteristics, and sensitization profile to contact allergens of the EBS among all patients who underwent contact allergological exploration in an allergology clinic in Algeria over a 15-year period (from 2007 to 2022). Our aim was to generate a map of allergic contact dermatitis in Eastern Algeria to support prevention efforts on a national scale.

Methods

Our study was a retrospective descriptive monocentric study conducted in an allergology and contact allergen exploration medical office in Constantine, Algeria. It included all EBS performed between March 2007 and February 2022 on patients who were either first-time visitors or referred for patch testing.

Results

A total of 202 patients suspected of contact dermatitis were tested, with ages ranging from 3 to 75 years. Among them, 125 were female (61.9%) and 77 were male (38.1%). Of these, 138 patients (68.8%) (45 males, 93 females) tested positive for one or more allergens. Fifty-eight patients (42%) had a positive reaction to more than two contact allergens. The most common positive reactions were observed with nickel (30.2%), cobalt (28.2%), potassium dichromate (27.2%), myroxylon pereirae (9.9%), and fragrance mix I (8.4%). Sensitivity to nickel was more frequent among females (P < 0.0001), while sensitivity to potassium dichromate was more frequent among males (P = 0.01).

Conclusions

The distribution of different causes of contact allergy identified through EBS was similar to what is observed in Europe. It allowed us to define, based on the sensitization profile of the patients included in our study, the most frequent causes of allergic contact dermatitis within our population. However, the emergence of new contact allergens can only be identified if Algeria establishes an allergo-vigilance network, similar to that in Europe, enabling both the evolution of patch test compositions and the detection of new allergic risks within the population.