OCCUPATIONAL CONJUNCTIVITIS ASSOCIATED WITH TYPE-IV ALLERGY TO METHACRYLATES

Citation
T. Estlander et al., OCCUPATIONAL CONJUNCTIVITIS ASSOCIATED WITH TYPE-IV ALLERGY TO METHACRYLATES, Allergy, 51(1), 1996, pp. 56-59
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Allergy,Immunology
Journal title
ISSN journal
01054538
Volume
51
Issue
1
Year of publication
1996
Pages
56 - 59
Database
ISI
SICI code
0105-4538(1996)51:1<56:OCAWTA>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
On rare occasions, exposure to methacrylates (MAs) may induce mucosal symptoms. Three patients, two dental laboratory workers and one hearin g aid laboratory worker, are presented. All three had allergic contact dermatitis from MAs which disappeared after avoidance of contact with uncured MA compounds. Two of the patients, the dental laboratory assi stant and the hearing aid worker, had also developed symptoms of conju nctivitis. Both were exposed to chemically curable and light-curable M As. The association between their conjunctivitis and type IV allergy t o MAs was supported by the following observations: 1) sensitization to several MAs including methylMA, 2-hydroxyethylMA, ethyleneglycol diMA , triethyleneglycoldiMA, tetrahydrofurfuryldiMA, and 1,4-butanedioldiM A, as well as to pentaerythritol triacrylate; 2) simultaneous appearan ce of their eye symptoms and allergic contact dermatitis; 3) high expo sure to MAs because of disturbances of ventilation; 4) disappearance o f the eye symptoms during holidays; and 5) opthalmologist's findings o f follicular conjunctivitis with some papillae, eosinophilia, and lymp hocytosis in conjunctival scrapings corresponding to allergic contact conjunctivitis. In addition, the activation of eosinophils in the conj unctival scrapings was demonstrated with the monoclonal antibody techn ique, and an elevated level of eosinophilic cationic protein was found in the tear fluid. Our cases suggest that conjunctivitis may be cause d by type IV allergy to MAs, although type I allergy (even though pric k tests were negative), other hypersensitivity mechanisms, or irritati on cannot be excluded. 4H-Gloves(R) seem to give adequate hand protect ion even to allergic patients. More attention should be paid to ventil ation systems if MA exposure occurs, In some cases, patients with eye symptoms need to be patch tested. (C) Munksgaard 1996.