Published by Oxford University Press DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/meg080 Contact Allergy in Construction Workers: Results of a Multifactorial Analysis

Objectives: To quantify the risk of contact allergy (CA) to important ubiquitous allergens asso-ciated with certain occupations, in particular the construction industry, and to identify possible time trends, controlling for potential confounding variables. Methods: Bivariate as well as Poisson regression analysis of standardized anamnestic and patch test data comprising 82 561 patients assessed in the 33 German and Austrian contact dermatitis units of the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK) between 1992 and 2000. Results: CA to five of the 18 (groups of) allergens considered here were observed significantly more often in construction workers: dichromate, epoxy resin (BADGE), cobalt, thiurams and N-isopropyl-p-phenylenediamine (IPPD). Multifactorial analysis confirmed an increased risk of CA to these allergens in construction workers, compared with other occupations. A very strong association between cobalt and chromate allergy was found in construction workers (OR 39.1, 95 % CI 21.1–79.6). Conclusions: Dichromate is still an prominent allergen in construction workers; as yet, there is only weak evidence of a decrease in Germany. Therefore, the addition of ferrous sulphate t