Skin reactivity to sodium lauryl sulfate in patients with respiratory atopy

Background: No literature data are available on the skin reactivity of patients with respiratory atopy alone. Objective: Our purpose was to assess skin reactivity to detergents in patients with allergic asthma, rhinitis, or bath. Methods: The skin of the volar aspect of the forearm of 19 subjects with allergic asthma or rhinitis (or both) was challenged with a single exposure to 0.5% sodium lauryl sulfate. The skin response was evaluated by transepidermal water loss (TEWL), capacitance, and echogenicity measurements. Results were compared with those obtained in 19 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 20 healthy subjects. Results: In patients with AD preexposure TEWL values were higher than in healthy subjects, whereas capacitance values were lower. In this patient group, postexposure TEWL, capacitance, and echogenicity values showed more pronounced variations than in healthy subjects. Conversely, in patients with allergic asthma or rhinitis (or both), both baseline and post-exposure TEWL, capacitance, and echogenicity values were similar to those in healthy subjects. Conclusion: Patients with respiratory atopy without AD do not have the functional abnormalities characteristic of skin affected by AD, either under baseline conditions or after exposure to sodium lauryl sulfate.