Study of 400 Cases of Contact Dermatitis Before and During the Pandemic in a Tertiary Hospital: Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common dermatosis.It can have repercussions on daily or work activities.During the New Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period, individuals may or may not have been more exposed to sensitizing agents.There are several studies on ACD before the pandemic, but few during the pandemic.Objectives: Check whether there was a change in patient characteristics and ACD sensitizing agents before the pandemic and in the first two years of the pandemic.Methods: Observational and retrospective study carried out a review of medical records of patients diagnosed with ACD, from March 2012 to February 2020 and between March 2020 and March 2022.Limitations: Observational and retrospective study in a single metropolitan region.Negative allergy tests were excluded.Results: There were a total of 400 patients, 264 in the pre-pandemic group and 136 in the pandemic.There was a predominance of females and whites in both groups, 206 (78.0%) versus 111 (81.6%) and 224 (84.8%) versus 120 (88.2%) in the pre-pandemic and pandemic, respectively.There was no difference in the proportions of allergens involved, but a difference in the level of education.Conclusions: In the present study, there was a prevalence of females and whites.The population, in general, suffered the influence of habits due to the pandemic.This population had a better level of education, probably contributing in turn to a better awareness of hygienic habits, but which led to a more significant ACD in the cephalic segment.