Allergic contact dermatitis caused by isopropyl alcohol: a missed allergen?

BACKGROUND

Isopropyl alcohol is a secondary alcohol, a structural isomer of propanol, that is widely used as an industrial solvent and as a preservative and antiseptic in the clinical environment. It is known to be a mild irritant for the eyes and mucous membranes, but is considered to be a weak and infrequent sensitizer.

OBJECTIVES

To show that isopropyl alcohol should be considered as a potential allergen in patients with eczema who have contact with this substance.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We present a series of 1450 patients patch tested with isopropyl alcohol during the period 1992-2011.

RESULTS

Forty-four patients showed an allergic response to isopropyl alcohol. Four cases presented as occupational hand eczema. Fourteen cases were seen in patients with leg ulcers. Twenty-six patients presented with eczematous lesions following the use of products containing isopropyl alcohol to disinfect previous skin lesions. Eighty-four per cent of the patients showed sensitization to three or more allergens. Relevance was present in 84% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We report here the first large case series of contact allergy to isopropyl alcohol, which demonstrates that sensitization to this substance might not be as uncommon as previously thought.