Oral hyposensitization to nickel allergy: preliminary clinical results

Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 1995 May-Jun;107(1-3):251-4. doi: 10.1159/000236994.

Abstract

Fifty-one patients presenting a dermatological allergy (erythema, urticaria, angioedema, contact dermatitis) to nickel were treated over 3 years with oral doses of 0.1 ng nickel sulfate per day, following a low-nickel diet. Diagnostic tests comprised patch and oral provocation tests. In 7 cases, the treatment was interrupted because of symptom reactivation, and in 14 cases for other reasons. Among the 30 cases who went through the whole follow-up, symptomatology totally disappeared in 29 cases, and a partial alleviation was achieved in 1 case after 1 year of treatment. Oral provocation tests with these 30 patients showed an overall increase of tolerance. Patch tests showed no variation in 20 cases, a diminution in 5, and were negative in 5. Although the study was not conducted double blind, the results of this attempt to cure nickel allergy are statistically significant.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Desensitization, Immunologic*
  • Diet
  • Drug Eruptions / diet therapy
  • Drug Eruptions / etiology
  • Drug Eruptions / immunology
  • Drug Eruptions / therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nickel / administration & dosage
  • Nickel / therapeutic use*
  • Patch Tests
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • nickel sulfate
  • Nickel