[Relevance of an iodine allergy to commercial polyvidone-iodine preparations].

Patch testing with Iodine/potassium-iodide (3%) and commercialized povidone (PVP)-iodine preparations (Betaisodona-ointment and solution, Polyvidon-Jod-ointment "Braun", Braunol-solution "Braun", Traumasept-ointment, and Traumasept solution--not marketed--, were carried out in 104 patients of the Department of Dermatology of the Municipal Hospital Kassel. In addition, the according ointment and solution-bases were tested. 22 tests were patients with ulcera crurum, 82 patients with infectious skin diseases or skin tumors. 35 out of the 104 patients showed positive reactions to iodine/potassium-iodide. Hyperreactivity to one or more PVP-iodine-ointments was found in 12 patients, to one or more PVP-iodine solutions in 29 patients. If there was no positive reaction to iodine/potassium-iodide, PVP-iodine ointments were always tolerated, while PVP-iodine-solutions produced positive reactions in 9 cases even then. Our results show that allergic skin reactions must be expected in 2-9% of all patients using PVP-iodine ointments, and in 12-20% of all patients using PVP-iodine-solutions. If iodine-allergy is known the rate of positive reactions to PVP-iodine ointments is 6-25% to the solutions 34-60%.