ABSTRACT
Betamethasone base is used as tablet only, which implies that by far most allergic reactions to ‘betamethasone’ have in fact been the result of sensitization to an ester of betamethasone or of cross-reactivity to another corticosteroid. In the United Kingdom, in the period 1997-2001, 200 patients with venous or mixed venous/arterial leg ulcers were patch tested with various series including a medicament series and 2 (1%) reacted to ‘betamethasone’. All reactions to topical drugs were considered to be of probable, past or current relevance. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions from systemic administration of betamethasone caused by type IV (delayed-type) hypersensitivity, including maculopapular exanthema, delayed urticaria or exanthema and systemic contact dermatitis, are planned to be discussed in Volume IV of the Monographs in Contact Allergy series on Systemic drugs.
