INTRADERMAL TESTING AND SUBLINGUAL IN DESENSITIZATION FOR NICKEL

Thirty-nine patients with nickel allergy as diagnosed by results of cl inical history and intradermal testing with nickel sulfate were treate d by sublingual hyposensitization. Intradermal testing was accurate an d titration showed the degree of sensitivity. The immunologic principl e of oral tolerance was used in treatment. Eighty-five percent of the thirty-nine patients showed subjective improvement in their dermatitis and all showed objective evidence of decreased intradermal sensitivit y. None of the patients' conditions worsened. The use of oral treatmen t with nickel sulfate deserves broader clinical trial.