The epidemic of methylisothiazolinone: a European prospective study

Jakob F. Schwensen; Wolfgang Uter; Magnus Bruze; Cecilia Svedman; An Goossens; Mark Wilkinson; Ana Giménez Arnau; Margarida Gonçalo; Klaus E. Andersen; Evy Paulsen; Tove Agner; Caterina Foti; Kristiina Aalto-Korte; John McFadden; Ian White; Jeanne D. Johansen

doi:10.1111/cod.12733

The epidemic of methylisothiazolinone: a European prospective study

Jakob F. Schwensen^*, Wolfgang Uter, Magnus Bruze, Cecilia Svedman, An Goossens, Mark Wilkinson, Ana Giménez Arnau, Margarida Gonçalo, Klaus E. Andersen, Evy Paulsen, Tove Agner, Caterina Foti, Kristiina Aalto-Korte, John McFadden, Ian White, Jeanne D. Johansen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Clinical Medicine

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The use of methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetic products has caused an unprecedented epidemic of MI contact allergy. Current data concerning exposures at a European level are required. Objectives: To describe demographics and MI exposures for European patients with MI contact allergy. Methods: Eleven European dermatology departments from eight European countries prospectively collected data between 1 May and 31 October 2015 among consecutive patients who had positive patch test reactions to MI (2000 ppm aq.). Results: A total of 6.0% (205/3434; range 2.6–13.0%) of patients had positive patch test reactions to MI. Dermatitis most frequently affected the hands (43.4%), face (32.7%), arms (14.6%), and eyelids (11.7%); 12.7% had widespread dermatitis. For 72.7% (149/205), MI contact allergy was currently relevant mainly because of exposure to cosmetic products (83.2%; 124/149). Of these 124 patients, 19.5% were exposed to leave-on and rinse-off cosmetic products, 24.8% only to leave-on cosmetic products and 38.9% only to rinse-off cosmetic products containing MI or methylchloroisothiazolinone/MI. The majority of these (79%) noted onset of their dermatitis between 2013 and 2015. Fifteen patients (7.3%) had previously experienced allergic reactions when they were in newly painted rooms. Conclusion: Clinically relevant MI contact allergy remains prevalent across European countries, mainly because of exposure to rinse-off and leave-on cosmetic products.

Original language	English
Journal	Contact Dermatitis
Volume	76
Issue number	5
Pages (from-to)	272-279
Number of pages	8
ISSN	0105-1873
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12733
Publication status	Published - May 2017

Keywords

allergic contact dermatitis
CAS no. 2682-20-4
cosmetics
exposure
methylchloroisothiazolinone
methylisothiazolinone

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Schwensen, J. F., Uter, W., Bruze, M., Svedman, C., Goossens, A., Wilkinson, M., Giménez Arnau, A., Gonçalo, M., Andersen, K. E., Paulsen, E., Agner, T., Foti, C., Aalto-Korte, K., McFadden, J., White, I., & Johansen, J. D. (2017). The epidemic of methylisothiazolinone: a European prospective study. Contact Dermatitis, 76(5), 272-279. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12733

@article{9bdc40a7c7b8408995f9e3f45f7bbf2c,

title = "The epidemic of methylisothiazolinone: a European prospective study",

abstract = "Background: The use of methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetic products has caused an unprecedented epidemic of MI contact allergy. Current data concerning exposures at a European level are required. Objectives: To describe demographics and MI exposures for European patients with MI contact allergy. Methods: Eleven European dermatology departments from eight European countries prospectively collected data between 1 May and 31 October 2015 among consecutive patients who had positive patch test reactions to MI (2000 ppm aq.). Results: A total of 6.0% (205/3434; range 2.6–13.0%) of patients had positive patch test reactions to MI. Dermatitis most frequently affected the hands (43.4%), face (32.7%), arms (14.6%), and eyelids (11.7%); 12.7% had widespread dermatitis. For 72.7% (149/205), MI contact allergy was currently relevant mainly because of exposure to cosmetic products (83.2%; 124/149). Of these 124 patients, 19.5% were exposed to leave-on and rinse-off cosmetic products, 24.8% only to leave-on cosmetic products and 38.9% only to rinse-off cosmetic products containing MI or methylchloroisothiazolinone/MI. The majority of these (79%) noted onset of their dermatitis between 2013 and 2015. Fifteen patients (7.3%) had previously experienced allergic reactions when they were in newly painted rooms. Conclusion: Clinically relevant MI contact allergy remains prevalent across European countries, mainly because of exposure to rinse-off and leave-on cosmetic products.",

keywords = "allergic contact dermatitis, CAS no. 2682-20-4, cosmetics, exposure, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone",

author = "Schwensen, {Jakob F.} and Wolfgang Uter and Magnus Bruze and Cecilia Svedman and An Goossens and Mark Wilkinson and {Gim{\'e}nez Arnau}, Ana and Margarida Gon{\c c}alo and Andersen, {Klaus E.} and Evy Paulsen and Tove Agner and Caterina Foti and Kristiina Aalto-Korte and John McFadden and Ian White and Johansen, {Jeanne D.}",

year = "2017",

month = may,

doi = "10.1111/cod.12733",

language = "English",

volume = "76",

pages = "272--279",

journal = "Contact Dermatitis",

issn = "0105-1873",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "5",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The epidemic of methylisothiazolinone

T2 - a European prospective study

AU - Schwensen, Jakob F.

AU - Uter, Wolfgang

AU - Bruze, Magnus

AU - Svedman, Cecilia

AU - Goossens, An

AU - Wilkinson, Mark

AU - Giménez Arnau, Ana

AU - Gonçalo, Margarida

AU - Andersen, Klaus E.

AU - Paulsen, Evy

AU - Agner, Tove

AU - Foti, Caterina

AU - Aalto-Korte, Kristiina

AU - McFadden, John

AU - White, Ian

AU - Johansen, Jeanne D.

PY - 2017/5

Y1 - 2017/5

N2 - Background: The use of methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetic products has caused an unprecedented epidemic of MI contact allergy. Current data concerning exposures at a European level are required. Objectives: To describe demographics and MI exposures for European patients with MI contact allergy. Methods: Eleven European dermatology departments from eight European countries prospectively collected data between 1 May and 31 October 2015 among consecutive patients who had positive patch test reactions to MI (2000 ppm aq.). Results: A total of 6.0% (205/3434; range 2.6–13.0%) of patients had positive patch test reactions to MI. Dermatitis most frequently affected the hands (43.4%), face (32.7%), arms (14.6%), and eyelids (11.7%); 12.7% had widespread dermatitis. For 72.7% (149/205), MI contact allergy was currently relevant mainly because of exposure to cosmetic products (83.2%; 124/149). Of these 124 patients, 19.5% were exposed to leave-on and rinse-off cosmetic products, 24.8% only to leave-on cosmetic products and 38.9% only to rinse-off cosmetic products containing MI or methylchloroisothiazolinone/MI. The majority of these (79%) noted onset of their dermatitis between 2013 and 2015. Fifteen patients (7.3%) had previously experienced allergic reactions when they were in newly painted rooms. Conclusion: Clinically relevant MI contact allergy remains prevalent across European countries, mainly because of exposure to rinse-off and leave-on cosmetic products.

AB - Background: The use of methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetic products has caused an unprecedented epidemic of MI contact allergy. Current data concerning exposures at a European level are required. Objectives: To describe demographics and MI exposures for European patients with MI contact allergy. Methods: Eleven European dermatology departments from eight European countries prospectively collected data between 1 May and 31 October 2015 among consecutive patients who had positive patch test reactions to MI (2000 ppm aq.). Results: A total of 6.0% (205/3434; range 2.6–13.0%) of patients had positive patch test reactions to MI. Dermatitis most frequently affected the hands (43.4%), face (32.7%), arms (14.6%), and eyelids (11.7%); 12.7% had widespread dermatitis. For 72.7% (149/205), MI contact allergy was currently relevant mainly because of exposure to cosmetic products (83.2%; 124/149). Of these 124 patients, 19.5% were exposed to leave-on and rinse-off cosmetic products, 24.8% only to leave-on cosmetic products and 38.9% only to rinse-off cosmetic products containing MI or methylchloroisothiazolinone/MI. The majority of these (79%) noted onset of their dermatitis between 2013 and 2015. Fifteen patients (7.3%) had previously experienced allergic reactions when they were in newly painted rooms. Conclusion: Clinically relevant MI contact allergy remains prevalent across European countries, mainly because of exposure to rinse-off and leave-on cosmetic products.

KW - allergic contact dermatitis

KW - CAS no. 2682-20-4

KW - cosmetics

KW - exposure

KW - methylchloroisothiazolinone

KW - methylisothiazolinone

U2 - 10.1111/cod.12733

DO - 10.1111/cod.12733

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28032337

AN - SCOPUS:85007414683

SN - 0105-1873

VL - 76

SP - 272

EP - 279

JO - Contact Dermatitis

JF - Contact Dermatitis

IS - 5

ER -

The epidemic of methylisothiazolinone: a European prospective study

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Keywords

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