A controlled study of gold contact hypersensitivity

1203 patients attending for routine patch testing at 3 hospitals and 105 volunteers were tested with 0.5% and 0.05% gold sodium thiosulfate (GST). 38 patients (3.2%) and 5 volunteers (4.8%) had positive patch tests to GST. There were no significant differences between volunteers and patients with respect to age, sex, atopy or exposure to gold in dental restorations, jewellery or through occupation. There were no significant differences in prevalence of GST hypersensitivity in the 3 hospitals, or between patients and controls. This is the 1st controlled study of hypersensitivity to GST, and suggests that routine patch testing to gold is of limited clinical benefit.