Delayed hypersensitivity in females. The development of allergic contact dermatitis in females during the comparison of two predictive patch tests.

Ten chemically different compounds were applied to the skin of the backs of male and female volunteers to induce delayed hypersensitivity responses. The 10 compounds had a low, moderate, high or unknown allergenic potential and were divided among five test panels (modified Draize) consisting of 150 subjects each. In each panel, 75 subjects (mean age 31 years) were always male prisoners (50% Caucasians) and the remaining 75 subjects (greater than 90% Caucasians) were divided, age-matched free males and females (mean age 24 years). Three compounds, each on different panels, had a significantly higher sensitization rate in females than in free males or total males. The remaining compounds produced sensitization, usually in lower numbers, but females dominated in sensitization rates. Viewed as absolute rates of sensitization for the 10 compounds, females were higher on eight test compounds and tied on two when compared to all males. These studies show that females develop significantly more cell-mediated immune responses to some chemical haptenes than men and the data also points to an overall higher rate of haptene recognition. Seven of these 10 compounds were simultaneously tested for their sensitization potential by the modified Maximization method (all males) in order to compare the two tests' ability to disclose potential sensitizers. Female sensitizations on the modified Draize accounted for this test's superiority.