BACKGROUND: Chromium is one of the most common metal allergens that cause allergic contact dermatitis. European regulation of chromium (VI) content in cement was first implemented in 2005, and regulation of chromium in leather in 2015. OBJECTIVE: This clinical study was performed to obtain basic data on subjects with allergic contact dermatitis due to chromium in Korea. We investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with chromium allergy among subjects with contact dermatitis who underwent patch tests. METHODS: Patch test data from June 1998 to January 2014 were retrospectively analyzed (n=975; men=290, women=685). Patients who showed positive reactions to potassium dichromate (chromium [+] group; n=58) and who showed positive reactions to other allergens except potassium dichromate (others [+] group; n=497) were identified and the characteristics of both groups were compared. Patients who only reacted to chromium (only chromium group; n=17) were identified, and their clinical characteristics were investigated. The prevalence of chromium allergy was analyzed in each 4-year period to study the changes over time. RESULTS: The sensitization rate of potassium dichromate was 5.9% (n=58) and women comprised 72.4% (n=42) of the chromium (+) group. Hands and feet were more frequently affected in the chromium (+) group (p=0.002 and 0.019, respectively). Occupational dermatitis was significantly less common in the chromium (+) group. Chromium allergy was the most prevalent in patients in their 50s (8.4%). The only chromium group had significantly more number of patients aged 40 years or older (p=0.004). The prevalence of chromium allergy was 13.5% during 1998~2002, but decreased to 5.4% during 2010~2014. CONCLUSION: The characteristics of patients with chromium allergy suggests that chromium exposure in daily activities, including leather exposure, is more relevant than occupational exposure for most patients. The prevalence of chromium allergy has been decreasing in Korea, which may be an effect of voluntary regulation of chromium content in cement by manufacturers.
Allergens ; Chromium* ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea* ; Occupational Exposure ; Patch Tests ; Potassium Dichromate ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The oral mucosa is constantly exposed to several irritants and allergens including dental materials, but the role of contact allergy in oral disease is obscure. OBJECTIVE: To analyze positive patch test results in patients with oral diseases and evaluate the clinical relevance of oral diseases with contact allergy to dental materials. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patch test results with dental screening series in 44 patients with oral disease from 2004~2011. RESULTS: Oral diseases included oral lichen planus (54.5%), cheilitis (27.3%), burning mouth syndrome (9.1%), and others (9.1%). Thirty-one of 44 patients (70.5%) had positive reactions to one or more allergens. The most commonly detected allergens were gold sodium thiosulfate (25.0%) and nickel sulfate (25.0%), followed by potassium dichromate (22.7%), cobalt (15.9%), palladium (6.8%), mercury (4.5%), copper (4.5%), and methylhydroquinone (4.5%). Six of 24 patients with oral lichen planus had a symptom in areas adjacent to dental materials and positive patch test reactions to allergens contained in the suspected dental materials. CONCLUSION: Patch tests with dental screening series are worth considering for oral diseases, especially for oral lichen planus.
Allergens ; Burning Mouth Syndrome ; Cheilitis ; Cobalt ; Copper ; Dental Materials ; Gold Sodium Thiosulfate ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Irritants ; Lichen Planus, Oral ; Mass Screening* ; Mouth Mucosa ; Nickel ; Palladium ; Patch Tests* ; Potassium Dichromate ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in lung injury and oxidative stress of sprague-Dawleyy (SD) rats at different times after single intratracheal instillation of potassium dichromate.

METHODSA total of 50 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into control group and potassium dichromate group. The potassium dichromate group and the control group received 3 ml/kg intratracheal instillation of K2Cr2O7 (1.5 mg/kg) and normal saline, respectively. Rats in these two groups were sacrificed in batches at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after exposure. The changes in the following indices were observed and analyzed: body weight, lung coefficient, alkaline phosphatase (AKP) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in lung homogenate, and reduced glutathione (GSH) in serum.

RESULTSThe rats in the potassium dichromate group had significantly decreased body weight on day 1 and day 3 after exposure than the control group (P<0.05). Lung coefficient increased significantly on day 7 (P<0.05) and kept increasing until the end of the experiment. The potassium dichromate group had a significantly higher activity of AKP than the control group on day 1 and day 7 after exposure (P<0.05). However, the potassium dichromate group had a significantly lower activity of GSH-Px than the control group on day 1 and day 3 after exposure (P<0.05). And the potassium dichromate group had a lower activity of reduced GSH than the control group on day 3 and day 7 after exposure.

CONCLUSIONSingle intratracheal instillation of 1.5 mg/kg potassium dichromate could result in lung inflammatory injury. of SD rats, and the injury is more severe on day 7 after exposure. Body injury is related to antioxidant activity, and the antioxidant.activity cannot recover completely on day 28 after exposure.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glutathione ; blood ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; Potassium Dichromate ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND: Spectacle contact allergy is not infrequent. The fine scratches on the spectacle frames which may play a role in the sensitization to the potential allergenic components have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: We sought the relationship between the scratches on the spectacle frames and the allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: A total of 42 Korean patients with ACD at the spectacle contact sites were enrolled. Their spectacle frames were examined with the dimethylglyoxime (DMG) test and analyzed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Patch tests (thin-layer rapid use epicutaneous test [TRUE tests]) were performed to identify the skin allergens. RESULTS: The DMG-positive spectacle frames were identified in 78.5% of the frames. The SEM results showed that there were more scratches on the skin-contacting parts of the spectacle frames than the non-skin-contacting parts of the same frames. In the EDS findings, the mean nickel content (weight, %) of the spectacle frames was 15.7+/-5.5, and the mean chromium content was 20.3+/-3.4 at the skin-contacting parts. In the TRUE tests, nickel sulphate was the most common allergen (31 cases, 73.8%), and potassium dichromate was the second (9 cases, 21.4%). Three patients presented simultaneous positive reactions with nickel sulphate and potassium dichromate. CONCLUSION: Minor visible and non-visible fine scratches on the spectacle frames may present the provocation factors of the ACD. Nickel sulphate was the most common allergen suspected of provoking the spectacle frame-induced ACD, followed by potassium dichromate.
Chromium ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nickel ; Oximes ; Patch Tests ; Potassium ; Potassium Dichromate ; Skin ; Spectrum Analysis

Chromium is a transition metal and has been shown to elicit contact dermatitis. Although leather products have been known to be the most significant source of chromium exposure these days, the majority of reports have been related to exposure from shoe products. We herein report a professional golfer who became allergic to golf gloves made of chromium-tanned leather. A 27-year-old woman golfer presented with recurrent, pruritic, erythematous plaques that had been occurring on both hands for several years. The lesions developed whenever she had worn golf gloves for an extended period of time, especially during tournament season. To identify the causative agent, patch tests were performed and the results demonstrated a strong positive reaction to potassium dichromate 0.5% and to her own glove. The amount of chromium in her golf glove was analyzed to be 308.91 ppm and based on this, a diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis due to a chromium-tanned leather glove was made. She was treated with oral antihistamines combined with topical steroids and advised to wear chromium-free leather gloves. There has been no evidence of recurrence during a six month follow-up period.
Adult ; Chromium ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Golf ; Hand ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Potassium Dichromate ; Recurrence ; Seasons ; Shoes ; Steroids ; Tanning

BACKGROUND: A number of skin manifestations in patients with allergic contact dermatitis result from sensitization with specific allergens. The patch test is a primary diagnostic tool for identifying allergens causing allergic contact dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: We identified the results of patch test with Korean standard series in patients with clinically diagnosed with contact dermatitis, and evaluated the specific relationship with each allergen. METHODS: During a 5-year period, 743 patients were examined with patch test of standard Korean series. The results of patch test were then evaluated. Location of the skin lesion, age, sex, and occupation of the patients were completely reviewed. RESULTS: Overall, 68.5% of patients had at least one positive reaction and 43.6% of patients had two or more positive reactions. Allergens most frequently causing positive reactions were nickel sulfate (27.1%), cobalt chloride (22.1%), potassium dichromate (17.9%), mercuric ammonium chloride (13.8%), and 4-phenyledediamine base (10.2%). Those patients in their 10s and 40s showed the highest rate of positive reaction. Metal allergens displayed higher positive rates than any other standard allergens. Of 201 patients who showed positive reaction to nickel, 37.8% and 27.3% of them also showed positive reaction to cobalt and chromium, respectively, representing concomitant reactions between metal-related antigens. In addition, polysensitization to cosmetics-related antigens including balsam peru and fragnance mix was evident. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in overall positive rate in patch test results compared with recent studies. However, we confirmed that metal-related allergens remain most common, and that multiple contact allergy were relatively common.
Allergens ; Ammonia ; Ammonium Chloride ; Chromium ; Cobalt ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Mercuric Chloride ; Nickel ; Occupations ; Patch Tests ; Peru ; Potassium Dichromate ; Skin ; Skin Manifestations

BACKGROUND: Nummular eczema, which is also known as discoid eczema, is defined by its clinical appearance as coin-shaped, circular, or oval lesions with a definite border. The etiology of nummular eczema is obscure, and many causative factors have been proposed, but there are only a few studies of the relevance of contact allergy in nummular eczema in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of allergic contact dermatitis in nummular eczema patients compared with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A total of 86 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients combined with atopic dermatitis and nummular eczema were classed as atopic dermatitis. The group with atopic dermatitis was 32 patients. The group with nummular eczema was 54 patients. We performed patch tests on both groups, and evaluated their clinical features and the results of the patch testing. RESULTS: The patients comprised of 49 males and 37 females. The mean age of group with atopic dermatitis was 21.3 years, and the mean age of group with nummular eczema was 44.2 years. The distribution by age was most prevalent at 10~19 years for the group with atopic dermatitis group and 40~49 years for the group with nummular eczema. The predominant sites of the lesions were the arms (21.0%), trunk (21.0%), legs (16.3%), widespread on the body (15.1%), hands (13.9%), feet (7.0%), face and neck (5.8%). Sixty seven (77.9%) out of 86 patients showed a positive reaction to one or more allergens. The highest sensitization rates were found with: nickel sulphate (45.3%), cobalt chloride (29.1%), potassium dichromate (20.9%), thimerosal (17.4%), neomycin sulphate (15.1%), thiuram mix (14.0%), formaldehyde (14.0%), colophony (12.8%), 4-phenylenediamine mix (11.6%), fragrance mix (10.5%). Comparing the atopic dermatitis and nummular eczema groups, there was no significant difference in the positivity for patch test allergens and frequent antigens. Comparing with clinical manifestation between the group with positive reaction and the group with negative reaction to the patch test in nummular eczema and atopic dermatitis, in the group with positive reaction of patch test, the severity of disease increased. CONCLUSION: This study shows that contact sensitivity is relatively common both with nummular eczema and atopic dermatitis. But, when there is no difference in the positive rate of antigens in patch test, both groups show high positive rate of metal antigens. Also nummular eczema patients with consistent and recurrent symptoms, the possibility of allergic contact dermatitis should be taken into consideration and a patch test must be performed.
Allergens ; Arm ; Cobalt ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Eczema* ; Female ; Foot ; Formaldehyde ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Neck ; Neomycin ; Nickel ; Patch Tests* ; Potassium Dichromate ; Thimerosal ; Thiram

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations on the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX).

METHODSAn Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB) reactor was used to cultivate the granular sludge and to perform the ANAMMOX reaction in the bench scale experiment. NH4(+)-N and NO2(-)-N were measured by using colorimetric method. NO3(-)-N was analyzed by using the UV spectrophotometric method. COD measurement was based on digestion with potassium dichromate in concentrated sulphuric acid.

RESULTSWhen the COD concentrations in the reactors were 0 mg/L, 200 mg/L, 350 mg/L, and 550 mg/L, respectively, the NH4(+)-N removal efficiency was 12.5%, 14.2%, 14.3%, and 23.7%; the removal amount of NO2(-)-N was almost the same; the nitrate removal efficiency was 16.8%, 94.5%, 86.6%, and 84.2% and TN removal efficiency was 16.3%, 50.7%, 46.9%, and 50.4%, moreover, the COD removal efficiency was 85%, 65.7%, and 60%; the COD removal rate was 27.42, 61.88, and 97.8 mg COD/(h x L).

CONCLUSIONCOD concentrations have a significant influence on anaerobic ammonium oxidation by granular sludge.

Ammonia ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Anaerobiosis ; Bioreactors ; Industrial Microbiology ; Nitrogen ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxygen ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Potassium Dichromate ; chemistry ; Sewage ; chemistry ; microbiology ; Sulfuric Acids ; chemistry ; Time Factors ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe calf thymus DNA damage induced by potassium dichromate in combination with glutathione (GSH).

METHODSAtomic force microscope and ultraviolet spectrum (UV) were used to observe the alterations of the DNA ultrastructure and absorption spectrum.

RESULTSAtomic force microscopy revealed no breaks of the DNA strand in response to treatment with potassium dichromate alone, but when coupled with GSH at proper concentrations, potassium dichromate induced alterations in the DNA structure and DNA fragmentation. UV examination also confirmed these findings by showing increased absorption intensity of the maximum UV peak following combined treatment of the DNA with potassium dichromate and GSH.

CONCLUSIONThese morphological and spectrographic evidences verified the important role of GSH in mediating the generation of various tumor-inducing intermediate products of potassium dichromate.

Animals ; Cattle ; DNA ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA Damage ; DNA Fragmentation ; drug effects ; Glutathione ; toxicity ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; methods ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; drug effects ; Potassium Dichromate ; toxicity ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

BACKGROUND: Hairdressers are individuals at high risk of occupational skin disease, especially occupational allergic contact dermatitis (OACD), because of continuous exposure to water, detergents, hair dyes and bleaches, permanent wave solutions and metal equipment. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the frequency of OACD among hairdressers and the sources of sensitization through patch test and questionnaires. METHODS: We analyzed the occupational characteristics (age, gender, duration of work), site of dermatitis, suspicious sensitizers, and use of preventive measures in a group of 96 hairdressers who answered a questionnaire. Among them, 61 hairdressers who were suspected of having occupational allergic contact dermatitis were patch-tested with the Korean standard series and hairdressing series. RESULTS: Among 96 hairdressers, 74 hairdressers (78%) responded with their experiences of work-related skin problems. The results of patch test revealed an occupationally-relevant sensitization in 82% of the 61 hairdressers. Mean frequencies of sensitization ranked as follows: nickel sulfate (37.7%), cobalt chloride (34.4%), paraphenylenediamine base (21.3%), thimerosal (11.5%), potassium dichromate (9.8%), mercury ammonium chloride (8.2%), Balsam Peru (6.6%), glyceryl monothioglycolate (4.9%), and fragrance mix (4.9%). We also classified these allergens as hairdressing agents, and hair dye showed the highest frequency of positive reactions (30%). CONCLUSION: From this study, we were able to unravel the important sensitizers related to the hairdressing profession. To improve the safety of their job and to the prevent occupational allergic contact dermatitis, hairdressers should be aware of these common sensitizers, and try to improve protective measures and their applications.
Allergens ; Ammonium Chloride ; Cobalt ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Detergents ; Hair ; Hair Dyes ; Nickel ; Patch Tests* ; Peru ; Potassium Dichromate ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin* ; Thimerosal