RESULTS OF PATCH TESTING WITH A SPECIAL SERIES OF RUBBER ALLERGENS

The purpose of this study was to examine the results of patch testing with the rubber components on a standard screening tray and compare th em with the results of testing with a special series of 27 rubber comp onents (rubber tray). 1670 patients were patch tested with the screeni ng tray and 317 of these were also tested with the rubber tray. 16% of those tested with the rubber tray had a positive response to at least 1 of the rubber allergens on the screening tray and 22% had a positiv e response to at least 1 of the allergens on the rubber tray. The most common positive response to the rubber tray allergens was to tetramet hylthiuram monosulfide. There were no responses to 3 of the components on the rubber tray and there was only 1 positive response to a furthe r 4 components. The diagnostic test characteristics of the rubber comp onents on the screening tray were examined using the rubber tray as th e gold standard. The sensitivity of the screening tray was 94%, specif icity 51%, positive predictive value 87% and negative predictive value 71%. Of the 317 tested, 11% were found to have a positive to a substa nce on the rubber tray that was not evident from the results of the sc reening tray.