A study on Chromium induced occupational dermatoses among the construction workers attending tertiary care hospital in Coimbatore

Introduction: Occupational contact dermatitis is the most frequent dermatoses. It is evident that Chromium causes contact dermatitis in construction workers. This study is conducted to assess the prevalence and pattern of contact dermatitis among construction workers. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective hospital based clinical study, conducted among construction workers who presented with skin manifestations from Oct 2016 to Jan 2017. Data including demographic details, clinical findings were collected. Patch test done and readings were taken according to ICDRG criteria. Results: Fifty patients were enrolled in our study. The prevalence of contact dermatitis in construction workers is 2.6% and prevalence of Chromium induced contact dermatitis is 50%. Age group predominantly affected was 41-55 years. The male to female ratio is 3.5:1. The mean duration of exposure to cement was 13.02years. The minimum and the maximum time taken for the contact dermatitis to occur after exposure were 2 weeks and 40 years respectively. The median period for the onset was 10 years. Thirteen patients had acute eczema, 29 had chronic eczema and 9 had subacute eczema. Nintey two (92%) had allergic contact dermatitis and 8% had irritant contact dermatitis. The most common allergen positive by patch testing was Chromium [50%] followed by ppd [10%], parthenium [6%] and pb [4%]. Conclusion: Our study concludes that Chromium (hexavalent) in cement causes allergic reactions in 50% of construction workers. Control measures include health education, safety measures, health surveillance and reduction of Chromium VI concentration by adding 0.35% ferrous sulfate.