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Biomedical subjects

M H Beck

Publications and source records attributed to M H Beck.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Patch testing to detect corticosteroid allergy: is it adequate?

Whilst patch testing with corticosteroids in ethanol is more sensitive than either petrolatum or the cream formulation, the frequency of false-negative reactions is not known. We have compared patch testing with corticosteroid at 1% in ethanol with intradermal (i.d.) tests using 1 mg corticosteroid suspended in normal saline. Patch tests with tixocortol pivalate and budesonide detected all patients allergic to hydrocortisone and budesonide, respectively. For other corticosteroids, the use of ethanol as a vehicle resulted in both false-positive and false-negative reactions. In particular, patch tests with hydrocortisone-17-butyrate missed 30% of all positive reactions detected by i.d. testing. There may be a case for advising the avoidance of this steroid in all patients who are positive on patch testing to tixocortol pivalate and budesonide.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1996

Corticosteroid contact hypersensitivity: what vehicle and concentration?

The correct concentration and vehicle for patch testing with corticosteroids is in many instances not known. The results of this study suggest that 1% in ethanol should be the initial choice, unless it can be shown that petrolatum as a vehicle is as sensitive (tixocortol pivalate and budesonide). We could find no evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroids inhibiting the patch test at higher concentrations. Using ethanol as the vehicle resulted in reactions developing at earlier time points than with petrolatum.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1996

Allergic contact dermatitis from latex rubber.

Previously we have found occasional patients with delayed hypersensitivity to latex (in rubber gloves) in the absence of allergy to any chemicals in the rubber chemical screen. There are many reports of contact urticaria to latex and isolated reports of delayed hypersensitivity to latex, usually in the presence of contact urticaria. To establish if latex ruber is a more common cause of delayed hypersensitivity than is currently recognized, we patch tested all patients attending our contact dermatitis clinic, over a 6-month period, with latex. Of 822 patients, 16 (1.9%) demonstrated positive cutaneous reactions to latex. Six exhibited contact urticaria to latex, five contact urticaria and allergic contact dermatitis, and five allergic contact dermatitis alone. Of the five with delayed hypersensitivity to latex in the absence of contact urticaria, only one was atopic and the sensitivity was thought to be relevant or possibly relevant in four. Of our patients, 1.2% exhibited positive patch-test reactions to latex. Patch testing with latex should be considered where contact dermatitis to a latex rubber-containing product is suspected, e.g. gloves and footwear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Reactions to other corticosteroids in patients with allergic contact dermatitis from hydrocortisone.

It has been proposed that corticosteroid cross-reactions occur more frequently within structurally well-defined groups. To test this hypothesis we have compared the patch-test reactions to other corticosteroids in 96 patients allergic to hydrocortisone. We found that our data did not agree with the previously proposed classification. The presence of a substitution at the C6 or C9 position was the most important factor in determining whether a patient would be allergic to another corticosteroid. This information should facilitate the choice of an alternative corticosteroid in patients allergic to hydrocortisone, if facilities for patch testing to other corticosteroids are not available.

Cross Reactions↗
PubMed1995

Progesterone-induced urticaria--need it be autoimmune?

A patient with persistent urticaria related to the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle is presented. Although systemic administration of progesterone provoked the eruption, we were unable to confirm that there was an immunological reaction to endogenous progesterone or oestrogen. Mechanisms whereby progesterone can augment subclinical types I and IV hypersensitivity reactions are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Screening for corticosteroid contact hypersensitivity.

To evaluate which corticosteroids are most useful for the detection of corticosteroid contact allergy in our population, 2123 patients were patch tested with a series of 6 corticosteroids, in parallel with a standard series, and other relevant investigations. 127 patients (5.98%) were allergic to one or more corticosteroids; 96 to tixocortol pivalate, 51 to hydrocortisone butyrate, 47 to budesonide, 11 to betamethasone valerate, 11 to clobetasone butyrate and 8 to clobetasol propionate. 511 patients with negative patch tests to the limited corticosteroid series were in addition tested to a further 12 corticosteroids; only 1 of these patients reacted to a corticosteroid. A combination of tixocortol pivalate and budesonide thus detected 91.3% of corticosteroid-allergic subjects. We believe that both these allergens should be included in the standard series and that there may be a case for extending this further.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1994

IgG antibodies and early intradermal reactions to hydrocortisone in patients with cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity to hydrocortisone.

Seven of 25 patients with cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity to hydrocortisone had an immediate reaction following the intradermal injection of hydrocortisone sodium succinate. Using an ELISA method, we found that these patients had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to hydrocortisone when compared with normal blood donors (P < 0.005) and nickel-allergic patients (P < 0.05). We suggest that these patients are at risk of developing type III and possibly type I reactions following the systemic administration of hydrocortisone and that, if needed, an alternative systemic corticosteroid should be used, for example betamethasone or dexamethasone.

Antibodies↗