Patch testing with palladium and aluminium.

Contact allergy to metals is common. The most common contact allergen is a metal, namely nickel. Since 2001, there is legislation within the EU that regulates the nickel release from metal objects. There has been concern that the restrictions on nickel will increase the use of other metals such as palladium and cobalt.

The aim of this project is: i) to investigate the variability of the patch test substances used to diagnose contact allergy to palladium. ii) Investigate the prevalence of palladium and cobalt allergy in Southern Sweden and investigate whether there have been any changes in the contact allergy frequency following the nickel legislation; iii) investigate the prevalence of palladium allergy among patients allergic to aluminium. iiii) investigate the role of alumiunium in common patch test preparation. The results from these studies are expected to result in a thesis which will be defended by Lisbeth Rosholm-Comstedt, December 2022.