Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis

Abstract In Japan, metal allergies are becoming increasingly prevalent, raising concerns for public health. This study examined metal allergy characteristics, patient histories, and clinical signs associated with patch test results over a 15-year period at the Dental Metal Allergy Clinic of Tokushim...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Toyoko Tajima, Maki Hosoki, Mayu Miyagi, Miho Inoue, Aya Ozawa, Mizuki Shinkai, Mio Naritani, Yoshiaki Kubo, Swarnalakshmi Raman, Parimal Ravindra Chavan, Kazuyuki Koike, Yoshizo Matsuka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86868-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850208671985827840
author Toyoko Tajima
Maki Hosoki
Mayu Miyagi
Miho Inoue
Aya Ozawa
Mizuki Shinkai
Mio Naritani
Yoshiaki Kubo
Swarnalakshmi Raman
Parimal Ravindra Chavan
Kazuyuki Koike
Yoshizo Matsuka
author_facet Toyoko Tajima
Maki Hosoki
Mayu Miyagi
Miho Inoue
Aya Ozawa
Mizuki Shinkai
Mio Naritani
Yoshiaki Kubo
Swarnalakshmi Raman
Parimal Ravindra Chavan
Kazuyuki Koike
Yoshizo Matsuka
author_sort Toyoko Tajima
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In Japan, metal allergies are becoming increasingly prevalent, raising concerns for public health. This study examined metal allergy characteristics, patient histories, and clinical signs associated with patch test results over a 15-year period at the Dental Metal Allergy Clinic of Tokushima University Hospital. A retrospective analysis of 1085 patients revealed that 65.4% tested positive for at least one metal allergen, with palladium chloride, nickel sulfate, potassium dichromate, and cobalt chloride identified as the most common allergens. Female patients were disproportionately affected, accounting for 78.4% of the study population. Notably, there was a substantial increase in patients reporting inflammation due to pierced earrings, increasing from 5.0% in 2005 to 43.2% in 2020, particularly among females. Patients with a history of inflammation from earrings had an 81.3% prevalence of metal allergies, which was significantly higher than the 60.4% reported in those without such a history (chi-square test, p < 0.001). These findings suggest a strong link between earrings and metal allergies, underscoring the need for improved education, early detection, and preventive strategies to address the growing impact of metal allergies on public health.
format Article
id doaj-art-d9a055d49c4c42b3bd3d6bc90cf039e7
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-d9a055d49c4c42b3bd3d6bc90cf039e72025-08-20T02:10:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-86868-1Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysisToyoko Tajima0Maki Hosoki1Mayu Miyagi2Miho Inoue3Aya Ozawa4Mizuki Shinkai5Mio NaritaniYoshiaki Kubo6Swarnalakshmi Raman7Parimal Ravindra Chavan8Kazuyuki Koike9Yoshizo Matsuka10Department of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Dermatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Neural and Pain Science, University of Maryland BaltimoreInternational Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of TsukubaDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityDepartment of Stomatognathic Function and Occlusal Reconstruction, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityAbstract In Japan, metal allergies are becoming increasingly prevalent, raising concerns for public health. This study examined metal allergy characteristics, patient histories, and clinical signs associated with patch test results over a 15-year period at the Dental Metal Allergy Clinic of Tokushima University Hospital. A retrospective analysis of 1085 patients revealed that 65.4% tested positive for at least one metal allergen, with palladium chloride, nickel sulfate, potassium dichromate, and cobalt chloride identified as the most common allergens. Female patients were disproportionately affected, accounting for 78.4% of the study population. Notably, there was a substantial increase in patients reporting inflammation due to pierced earrings, increasing from 5.0% in 2005 to 43.2% in 2020, particularly among females. Patients with a history of inflammation from earrings had an 81.3% prevalence of metal allergies, which was significantly higher than the 60.4% reported in those without such a history (chi-square test, p < 0.001). These findings suggest a strong link between earrings and metal allergies, underscoring the need for improved education, early detection, and preventive strategies to address the growing impact of metal allergies on public health.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86868-1Metal allergyEpidemiologyPierced earring inflammationContact dermatitisPatch testing
spellingShingle Toyoko Tajima
Maki Hosoki
Mayu Miyagi
Miho Inoue
Aya Ozawa
Mizuki Shinkai
Mio Naritani
Yoshiaki Kubo
Swarnalakshmi Raman
Parimal Ravindra Chavan
Kazuyuki Koike
Yoshizo Matsuka
Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis
Scientific Reports
Metal allergy
Epidemiology
Pierced earring inflammation
Contact dermatitis
Patch testing
title Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis
title_full Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis
title_fullStr Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis
title_full_unstemmed Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis
title_short Correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at Tokushima university hospital: a 15-year retrospective analysis
title_sort correlation between pierced earrings and the prevalence of metal allergies at tokushima university hospital a 15 year retrospective analysis
topic Metal allergy
Epidemiology
Pierced earring inflammation
Contact dermatitis
Patch testing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86868-1
work_keys_str_mv AT toyokotajima correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT makihosoki correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT mayumiyagi correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT mihoinoue correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT ayaozawa correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT mizukishinkai correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT mionaritani correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT yoshiakikubo correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT swarnalakshmiraman correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT parimalravindrachavan correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT kazuyukikoike correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis
AT yoshizomatsuka correlationbetweenpiercedearringsandtheprevalenceofmetalallergiesattokushimauniversityhospitala15yearretrospectiveanalysis