ABSTRACT
A practical guideline for diagnosing allergic reactions to corticosteroids is presented in ref. In Germany, for the period 1995-2004, the population-based relative incidence (RI) of contact sensitization to dexamethasone sodium phosphate was estimated to be 0.3. In the group of corticosteroids, the RI ranged from 0.3 to 43.2. Prevalences of positive patch tests ranged from 0.4% to 5%, the latter in a very small series of 41 patients. In this group of 315 CS allergic patients, 9 had positive patch tests to dexamethasone sodium phosphate 0.1% alc. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions from systemic administration of dexamethasone sodium phosphate caused by type IV hypersensitivity, including maculopapular eruption, are planned to be discussed in Volume IV of the Monographs in Contact Allergy series on Systemic drugs.
