Most Missed Question in Family Medicine This Week
What is the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis?
Answers:
- nickel
- mercury
- clothing dyes
- poison ivy
- latex
This question is missed 41% of the time by FM residents, an amazing rate for such a simple question. And the answer is #1 - nickel. Boring but true. 🙂
The common misses on the question are all over the place. We’re suspicious that students overcomplicate the question stem, thinking about all the causes of contact dermatitis - which are legion. Or possibly allergens encountered in healthcare settings, which would be “gloves” (rubber accelerators).
This is exactly the sort of question you will encounter on exams - so try to read question stems as-is, without expanding them mentally.
Why This Question Is Often Missed
– Focusing on plant‑related allergies
Many students immediately think of poison ivy because it’s a classic type IV hypersensitivity, overlooking that nickel exposure is far more ubiquitous.
– Conflating latex and contact dermatitis
Latex allergy is often taught early but usually manifests as an IgE‑mediated reaction rather than classic allergic contact dermatitis.
What the Distractors Indicate
Option | What It Tests / Implies | Why It’s Wrong Here |
---|---|---|
Mercury | Heavy‑metal contact allergy awareness | Mercury allergy is very rare compared to nickel. |
Clothing dyes | Knowledge of textile/dye allergens | Disperse‑dye hypersensitivity exists but is far less common. |
Poison ivy | Classic plant‑induced contact dermatitis | Poison ivy (urushiol) is common but not as prevalent as nickel exposures. |
Latex | Allergy related to rubber products | Latex reactions are typically immediate (type I), not the delayed type IV seen in ACD. |
High-Yield Pearl
Nickel is the single most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis worldwide due to its ubiquitous presence in jewelry, coins, and metal fasteners.
Core Learning Objectives
- Recognize the most prevalent allergens causing type IV (delayed) hypersensitivity in clinical practice.
- Distinguish the clinical and immunologic differences between allergic contact dermatitis and other skin hypersensitivity reactions.
The “Test Trick” at Play
This question exploits availability bias: students recall dramatic or “textbook” examples (poison ivy, latex) and overlook the far more common, everyday culprit—nickel.
Additional Practice Questions and Remediation
Question 1
A 25‑year‑old woman presents with a pruritic rash on her earlobes that began 2 days after she switched to a new pair of inexpensive earrings. What is the most likely allergen?
A. Nickel
B. Formaldehyde
C. Paraben preservatives
D. Fragrance mix
Answer and Remediation
- If you chose A (Nickel): Correct response! Nickel in costume jewelry is the most common ACD allergen.
- If you chose B (Formaldehyde): Review: Formaldehyde can cause ACD in hair‑straightening products but is far less common on earlobes.
- If you chose C (Paraben preservatives): Review: Parabens rarely cause ACD and are more associated with irritant reactions.
- If you chose D (Fragrance mix): Review: Fragrances are common overall but still less frequent than nickel in jewelry.
Question 2
A dental assistant develops itching and redness on her hands after wearing powdered latex gloves all day. Patch testing reveals a positive reaction to thiuram mix. What type of exposure most likely caused her dermatitis?
A. Thimerosal in vaccines
B. Rubber accelerator in glove manufacturing
C. Formalin in dental impressions
D. Paraphenylenediamine in gloves
Answer and Remediation
- If you chose B (Rubber accelerator): Correct response! Thiurams are rubber accelerators used in glove manufacture.
- If you chose A (Thimerosal): Review: Thimerosal is a mercury preservative, rare in causing ACD.
- If you chose C (Formalin): Review: Formalin can irritate mucosa but is not a common hand‑dermatitis allergen.
- If you chose D (Paraphenylenediamine): Review: PPD is in hair dyes, not in glove production.
Question 3
A 40‑year‑old gardener presents with vesicular hand dermatitis after clearing ivy in her yard. Which agent is responsible?
A. Nickel
B. Urushiol
C. Chromium in leather gloves
D. Benzocaine in topical creams
Answer and Remediation
- If you chose B (Urushiol): Correct response! Poison ivy’s urushiol causes classic ACD.
- If you chose A (Nickel): Review: Nickel exposure is unlikely confined to gardening tools.
- If you chose C (Chromium): Review: Leather tanning agents (chromium) can cause ACD but less commonly in gardening.
- If you chose D (Benzocaine): Review: Benzocaine can cause contact allergy but is topical, not tool‑related.
Question 4
After switching to a new black sock brand, a patient develops an itchy, scaly rash on his ankles. Patch test is positive for disperse blue 106. What is the allergen class?
A. Clothing dye
B. Plasticizers
C. Formaldehyde‑releasers
D. Acrylates
Answer and Remediation
- If you chose A (Clothing dye): Correct response! Disperse dyes are textile allergens.
- If you chose B (Plasticizers): Review: Plasticizers (e.g., phthalates) are uncommon causes of sock dermatitis.
- If you chose C (Formaldehyde‑releasers): Review: Some textiles use formaldehyde resins but disperse dyes are more specific.
- If you chose D (Acrylates): Review: Acrylates are in glues and nail products, not textiles.
Question 5
A 30‑year‑old jeweler presents with pruritic papules on his fingertips after working with watch bands. Which patch test series is most appropriate?
A. Fragrance series
B. Metal (baseline) series
C. Rubber glove series
D. Photopatch series
Answer and Remediation
- If you chose B (Metal series): Correct response! Baseline metal series includes nickel, cobalt, chromium.
- If you chose A (Fragrance series): Review: Fragrances are irrelevant to metalwork.
- If you chose C (Rubber glove series): Review: Rubber accelerators matter for glove users, not jewelers.
- If you chose D (Photopatch series): Review: Photopatch tests for photoallergies, not relevant here.
Mini Case Discussion Prompt
Compare a patient with chronic peri‑umbilical dermatitis from nickel‐containing belt buckles to one with acute vesicular hand dermatitis from poison ivy. What differences in history, timing, lesion morphology, and management would you expect?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the top causes of Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD)?
- Nickel sulfate – Most common overall, especially in women (jewelry, piercings, jean buttons, zippers, coins).
- Fragrance mix – Found in personal care products, deodorants, lotions, etc.
- Preservatives
- Methylisothiazolinone / Methylchloroisothiazolinone (e.g., in shampoos, wipes)
- Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
- Neomycin sulfate – Topical antibiotic in over-the-counter creams.
- Balsam of Peru – A natural resin found in flavorings and fragrances.
- Cobalt chloride – Often co-sensitizes with nickel; found in metal tools and dyes.
- p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) – Hair dyes, temporary tattoos.
- Rubber accelerators – In gloves, shoes, and elastic materials.
What are the most dangerous or difficult causes of Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD)?
Allergen | Severity / Challenge | Key Context |
---|---|---|
PPD | Very severe, blistering | Hair dye, black henna tattoos |
MI / MCI | Widespread, hard to avoid | Baby wipes, cosmetics |
Formaldehyde | Systemic, hidden exposures | Disinfectants, clothing |
Neomycin / Bacitracin | Delayed wound healing, common use | OTC ointments |
Rubber accelerators | Chronic hand eczema, occupational | Gloves, industrial settings |
Balsam of Peru | Cross-reactive, systemic symptoms | Fragrances, food flavorings |
Fragrance mix | Common, often hidden or unlabeled | Personal care products |
This question appears in Med-Challenger Family Medicine Review with CME
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