CONTACT ALLERGY TO GOLD SODIUM THIOSULFATE - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

During 1995, we added gold sodium thiosulfate and potassium dicyanoaur ate to the patch test standard series. Our purpose was to compare the reactivity of the gold salts, to determine the frequency of contact al lergy to gold in our country, to compare our results with those of the Malmo group and, finally, to try to clarify the clinical relevance. 2 853 patients were routinely tested and 168 patients answered a questio nnaire similar to that used by the Malmo group. Contact allergy to gol d was found in 23 patients; all women: 22 to gold sodium thiosulfate ( 0.78%), only 1 to potassium dicyanoaurate and 2 to both salts. All rea ctors had their ears pierced and were exposed to gold jewellery (mainl y earrings). Simultaneous allergies to nickel and cobalt were statisti cally significant in patients with positive patch tests to gold sodium thiosulfate. Atopy was no more common among these patients.