The prevalence of corticosteroid allergy in two UK centres: prescribing implications

Allergic contact dermatitis to topical corticosteroids is a common problem, seen in up to 6% of patients undergoing patch testing. Rates of steroid al lergy vary widely both within and between countries. It has previously been shown that non-fluorinated steroids degrade and react with arginine more r apidly in an in vitro system and may therefore be more likely to sensitize than fluorinated steroids. We have compared the rates of steroid allergy an d corticosteroid prescribing habits in two different areas in England to ob serve the relationship between these factors. The results suggest that pred ominant use of non-fluorinated corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, hydrocortis one-17-butyrate and budesonide) results in a higher prevalence of corticost eroid contact allergy in comparison with those areas using a greater propor tion of fluorinated corticosteroids.