Eczematous skin reaction from patch testing with aeroallergens in atopic children with and without atopic dermatitis.

To determine whether aeroallergens could induce eczematous lesions, 30 patients with atopic dermatitis were studied in comparison with 30 patients with respiratory atopy without atopic dermatitis. All patients were between 2 and 14 years of age. Patch testing with five aeroallergens--housedust, mite, cockroach, mold mix, and grass mix--was done on skin that was stripped by 10 applications of adhesive tape. Intradermal tests with the same antigens were done on the forearm. In 27 (90%) children with atopic dermatitis, patch testing with aeroallergens induced eczematous lesions at one or more sites. Mite, cockroach, house dust, mold mix, and grass mix caused reactions in 21 (70%), 21 (70%), 19 (63%), 15 (50%), and 13 (43%) patients, respectively. Three patients had a dermatitis flare at the antecubital and popliteal fossae during testing. Only three (10%) atopic children without atopic dermatitis had eczematous lesions, which was significantly different from children with atopic dermatitis (P < 10(-6)). Intradermal skin tests in both groups were not significantly different. This study supports previous reports that aeroallergens plays an important role in causing eczematous skin lesions.