Final Report on the Photopatch Test Course Supported by the European Society of Contact Dermatitis Krakow, 18-19 September 2009
Photoallergy seems an underestimated problem. Unfortunately, when dealing with a patient with sun-induced skin diseases, still too many doctors limit themselves to diagnosing a “sun allergy” and prescribing an antihistamine without any further diagnostic workup. We sincerely hope that this situation will improve after our international Photopatch Test Course that took place in Krakow, that was devoted to the problems of photoallergy and photopatch testing.
Certainly, there is a great demand for educational activities in this field, as our course aroused a
great interest from doctors all around the world. Altogether, 39 doctors participated in the full course. They came from 22 countries in 4 continents, including Australia, Korea, Mexico, USA, Israel, and many European countries. In the end assessment, the mean overall satisfaction level of the course participants amounted to 76%.
We were fortunate to collect very distinguished guests as members of our Faculty • Derk P. Bruynzeel (Amsterdam) • James Ferguson (Dundee) • Alastair Kerr (Dundee) • Cezary Kowalewski (Warszawa) • Percy Lehmann (Wuppertal) • Joanna Narbutt (Lodz) • Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier (Zurich), • accompanied by Radoslaw Spiewak as the host of the course. In order to give the broader audience the opportunity to learn more about the topic, the first day of the Course was organized as a plenary session with free admission for local allergists and dermatologists. This way, we attempted to spread the knowledge of photoallergy and photopatch testing among local doctors. Together with the course participants, the audience of the plenary session exceeded a hundred doctors. There was also coverage of the course, as well as of the topic photoallergy in regional radio (Radio Krakow), press (Dziennik Polski), and national TV (a newsflash on photoallergy in the afternoon news “Teleekspress”).
The weather co-operated perfectly, we have had warm, sunny days during all the course. All
participants have had the opportunity to taste the traditional Polish cuisine and beverages during a get-together dinner. There was also a special programme for the Faculty, including Krakow orientation tour, medieval Wieliczka Salt Mine, and “Pierogi Dinner” (pierogi, pronounce “pyeroghee” – traditional Polish dumplings) in an old-style restaurant. Of course, there was also traditional bigos, barszcz and other local titbits.
The demand for the course book “Photoallergy and Photopatch Testing” was such high, that we
have ran out of stock within 4 weeks after the meeting. In order to make the conference materials available to all people interested in photoallergy, we have prepared an internet version of the course book available as PDF that can be downloaded from http://www.diaseries.eu.
All lectures and discussions during the course were registered by a professional camera crew with
the intention of issuing an educational DVD on photoallergy and photopatch testing. The technical quality of the recording is very good, and we are now editing the material. The DVD is to be released in early 2010. We are very honoured and proud to have organised an educational event supported by the ESCD. We have used the opportunity to promote the organisation both during the course, and in conference materials. We sincerely hope that our activity was for the benefit of the patients, doctors and the ESCD. For the Organising Committee Radoslaw Spiewak Krakow, 31 October 2009 Enclosures and remarks:
1) Programme of the Photopatch Test Course 2) The course book can be downloaded from http://www.diaseries.eu/vol01/vol1full.pdf 3) Abstracts of the lectures, biographies of the Faculty Members and other information on the course
can be found on the course website www.photopatch.eu Programme of the Photopatch Test Course Friday, 18 September 2009 Photoallergy Meeting (plenary part of the course, accessible to broader audience)
15.00-15.15 Opening of the Photoallergy Meeting, welcome address 15.15-15.45 The influence of light on the skin barrier (Cezary Kowalewski, Warsaw) 15.45-16.15 The influence of light on the skin immune system (Joanna Narbutt, Lodz) 16.15-16.45 Photodermatoses: skin diseases induced by light - an overview
16.45-17.15 Coffe break 17.15-17.45 Pathomechanisms of phototoxic and photoallergic dermatitis (Radoslaw Spiewak, Krakow) 17.45-18.15 The epidemiology of photoallergy (Alastair Kerr, Dundee) 18.15-18.45 History of photopatch testing (Percy Lehmann, Wuppertal) 18.45-19.15 Photopatch tests: consensus methodology, present standard procedures
19.15-19.45 Therapeutic options for photoallergy (Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier, Zurich) 19.45-20.00 Discussion and closure of the Photoallergy Meeting Saturday, 19 September 2009 Photopatch Test Course (for registered participants only)
Faculty: James Ferguson (Dundee), Joanna Narbutt (Lodz), Derk Bruynzeel (Amstedam), Alastair Kerr (Dundee), Percy Lehmann (Wuppertal), Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier (Zurich), Radoslaw Spiewak (Krakow). 9.00-9.15
Welcome, presentation of the Faculty and participants, general rules of the course
A short introduction into photopatch testing (Radoslaw Spiewak)
Case 1: Photoallergic contact dermatitis to terbinafine (Radoslaw Spiewak)
When to suspect a photoallergic reaction? Indications and contraindications for photopatch testing, planning photopatch testing (Alastair Kerr)
10.30-10.45 Break: refreshments and discussion 10.45-11.00 Case 2: Occupational photocontact allergy produced by carprofen
11.00-11.30 Standard procedures in photopatch testing, reading, notation of the test results
11.30-11.45 Patient's and doctor's safety during photopatch testing: possible risks, precautions
11.45-12.15 Managing photopatch test results: How should we interpret these?
False- positives and negatives: Clinical relevance (James Ferguson)
12.15-12.30 Case 3: Photocontact allergic and phototoxic studies of chlorproethazine
12.30-13.00 Break: refreshments and discussion 13.00-13.30 Differential diagnosis of photoallergic skin diseases (Percy Lehmann) 13.30-13.45 Case 4: Photosensitivity induced by quinidine sulfate:
Case 5: Photoallergy to Neotri and a cross reaction to Teneretic: detection by systemic photoprovocation (Percy Lehmann)
13.45-14.15 Photoallergic and phototoxic disorders of the ethnic skin (Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier) 14.15-14.30 How to organise and run a photopatch test unit (entire Faculty) 14.30-15.00 Discussion, summing up, certificates 15.00
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Ticks are the Problem 1) What other animals frequent the devices? by the Shelter Island Deer and Tick Committee Raccoons, squirrels, mice, chipmunks, turkeys, blue jays and other birds frequent the device. Hundreds of hours of 24-hour infrared videotape recordings documented by the ARS indicate that besides the deer, rac-coons are the only animals to co
I read an interesting article yesterday about the use of Ibuprofen for self-medication. Some of the experts who contributed in the article frown upon the regular use of the drug and feel the public should be better educated about the possible extreme side effects that regular usage can induce. I agree in some part that teaching the masses there could be ill effects from using Ibuprofen on a pr