Brasch Jochen, Schnuch Axel, Uter Wolfgang
Department of Dermatology, University Clinics of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Contact Dermatitis. 2008 Jan;58(1):37-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.2007.01254.x.
Women are more often patch tested than men, and the reactivity to patch test allergens is dependent on sex. However, it is unclear whether the profiles of test reactions are also sex-related.
To compare the profiles of patch test reactions of men and women.
Sex-related reaction profiles of 16 common patch test allergens were analysed based on data of 47 626 patients filed by the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology in Germany. The proportions of weak positive reactions and of questionable and irritant reactions were evaluated by calculating the positivity ratio (PR) and the reaction index (RI) separately for men and women for each allergen.
Of the 16 allergens evaluated, 8 had a higher PR and a higher RI in women than in men. 4 allergens had a lower PR and another 4 had a lower RI in women than in men. For allergens with similar sensitization prevalence in men and women, female sex was associated with a higher PR and RI (P < 0.01).
There is a marginal disparity in the reactivity of men and women to patch test allergens that is probably not of clinical relevance but constitutes a scientific challenge.
女性接受斑贴试验的频率高于男性，且对斑贴试验变应原的反应性取决于性别。然而，尚不清楚试验反应的特征是否也与性别相关。
比较男性和女性斑贴试验反应的特征。
基于德国皮肤科部门信息网络存档的47626例患者的数据，分析了16种常见斑贴试验变应原的性别相关反应特征。通过分别计算每种变应原在男性和女性中的阳性率（PR）和反应指数（RI），评估弱阳性反应以及可疑和刺激性反应的比例。
在评估的16种变应原中，8种变应原在女性中的PR和RI高于男性。4种变应原在女性中的PR较低，另外4种变应原在女性中的RI较低。对于在男性和女性中致敏率相似的变应原，女性的PR和RI较高（P < 0.01）。
男性和女性对斑贴试验变应原的反应性存在微小差异，这可能与临床无关，但构成了一项科学挑战。
