Contact dermatitis due to ethyl alcohol: how to perform patch tests?

Introduction. Ethyl alcohol sensitization is rare and can induce immediate contact urticaria or delayed eczema. Patch tests performed with ethanol can provoke an irritative reaction and are not well codified. Case-reports. We report on 4 cases of contact dermatitis due to alcohol in 4 women. Eczema was due to alcohol contained in the reservoir of a transder mal transfer system with estrogens in 2 cases and related to the applicatio n of alcoholized antiseptic lotions in the other 2 cases. In 2/4 cases we o bserved a co-sensitization with corticosteroids. Methods. Patch tests were performed with alcohol at 95 degrees diluted at 7 0 p. 100 and at 10 p. 100 in water and read after 20 minutes then on day 2 and day 4. Results, Positive results were obtained in 4/4 cases when alcohol was teste d diluted at 70 p. 100 in water and in 3/4 cases when diluted at to p. too in water. No irritant reaction was observed in 140 negative controls. Discussion. Immediate after 20 minutes and delayed readings of patch tests performed with ethyl alcohol diluted at 70 p. too seem to be convenient in diagnosing cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity to alcohol. Co-sensitization between corticosteroids and alcohol could be due to an aldehyde deshydrogen ase deficiency.