WASHINGTON – The American Contact Dermatitis Society has selected isobornyl acrylate the contact allergen of the year. It is an acrylic monomer used as an adhesive.
Among other applications, isobornyl acrylate is often used in medical devices. The selection was made based in part on multiple case reports of diabetes patients developing contact allergies to their diabetes devices, such as insulin pumps, explained Golara Honari, MD, of Stanford (Calif.) University, who presented the selection at the ACDS annual meeting.
The significance of this allergen is that testing through routine panels does not identify it, so clinician awareness is especially important, Dr. Honari noted in a video interview at the meeting.
Most of the reported contact allergen cases have been in patients with diabetes, but clinicians should think about other possible sources, such as acrylic nails, she said. As for treatment, clinicians and patients can consider alternative diabetes devices without isobornyl acrylate, she said.
In the future, close collaboration between clinicians and the medical device industry to develop appropriate labeling can help increase awareness of the potential for allergic reactions, she added.
Dr. Honari had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.