Quantification of patch test reactions by transcutaneous PO2 measurement

Abstract
The usefulness of transcutaneous oxygen tension (tc-PO2) measurement for quantification of positive patch test reactions was studied. A significant correlation was found between the visual grading and the quantitative tc-PO2 values. Tc-PO2 discriminated between visual grade 0 to 1 +, 1 + to 2+, and 2+ to 3+ reactions. The results obtained by this method were compared with those obtained by other quantitative methods. TcPO2 measurement can be regarded as complementary to the laser Doppler technique, since it lacks the sensitivity of the laser Doppler technique in the range in negative to 1+ patch reactions, but it does discriminate between 2+ and stronger reactions.