Occupational methacrylate and acrylate allergy--cross-reactions and possible screening allergens.

BACKGROUND: Acrylic resin monomers, especially acrylates and methacrylates, are important occupational allergens.

AIMS: To analyse patterns of concomitant patch test reactions to acrylic monomers in relation to exposure, and to suggest possible screening allergens.

PATIENTS/METHODS: We reviewed the patch test files for the years 1994-2009 at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health for allergic reactions to acrylic monomers, and analysed the clinical records of sensitized patients.

RESULTS: In a group of 66 patients allergic to an acrylic monomer, the most commonly positive allergens were three methacrylates, namely ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA) and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (2-HPMA), and an acrylate, namely diethyleneglycol diacrylate (DEGDA). The patterns of concomitant reactions imply that exposure to methacrylates may induce cross-reactivity to acrylates, whereas exposure to acrylates usually does not lead to cross-allergy to methacrylates. Screening for triethyleneglycol diacrylate (TREGDA) in the baseline series was found to be useful, as 3 of 8 patients with diagnosed occupational acrylate allergy might have been missed without the screening.

CONCLUSIONS: A short screening series of four allergens, EGDMA, DEGDA, 2-HPMA and pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA), would have screened 93% of our 66 patients; each of the remaining 5 patients reacted to different acrylic monomer(s).