D3.236 - Does Night Work Influence the Severity of Allergic Contact Dermatitis ?

Night work, characterized by disrupted sleep patterns, has been associated with various health problems, including the potential worsening of allergic contact eczema. This study aimed to assess the impact of night work on the severity of allergic contact hand dermatitis (ACHD).

A cross-sectional analytical epidemiological study was conducted among patients with ACHD who consulted for patch testing using the European Baseline Series (EBS) at the dermato-allergology unit of the Occupational Medicine Department at Farhat Hached University Hospital in Sousse over a 20-month period. Data were collected through direct interviews using a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic, medical, and occupational information. The severity of hand eczema was assessed using the Osnabrück Hand Eczema Severity Index (OHSI).

A total of 150 cases of ACHD were included. The mean age was 41.05 ± 10.3 years. There was a slight female predominance, with a sex ratio of 0.94. The healthcare sector was the most represented occupational sector (13.3%), followed by the construction and public works sector (12.6%). The mean duration of employment was 14.9 ± 10 years. Night work was reported in 34 patients (22.7%).The mean OHSI score was 8.30 ± 2.61 among day workers and 8.85 ± 2.68 among night workers, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.26). Severe hand eczema was more frequent among night workers compared with non-night workers (76.5% vs. 66.6%), although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.30).

Night work was not significantly associated with increased severity of allergic contact hand dermatitis, although a higher proportion of severe cases was observed among night workers. Further large-scale and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify this relationship and to guide preventive measures in occupational health.