VALUE OF PATCH TEST IN ALLERGIC DERMATOSES

Abstract

Allergic dermatoses is a class of immunologic skin diseases manifested as intense itching, which potentially lead to a cycle of skin pain, damage, and infection. Allergic dermatoses present a very common troubling problem to both patients and physician .It is often very difficult to pin point or even narrow down the possible etiologic agent, thus making treatment a very tedious time consuming process and often with unsatisfactory results

The purpose of the patch test is to detect contact allergy .It is performed by applying the suspected substance in a standardized fashion and in the correct concentration to normal skin .If an eczematous response is elicited, the person probably has a contact allergy to the tested substance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influences of diagnostic and /or prognostic patch testing on chosen allergic dermatoses, to try and determine 'Vhether patch testing should be used as a routine investigative tool or whether it should be reserved in specific cases only.