Nickel is one of metals which are often seen in various food products and our daily activities. However, in many countries, metal exposure to skin becomes the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. In general, nickel can be one of skin diseases' causative factors such as Nummular Dermatitis or known as eczema.
"Nummular Dermatitis patient who is difficult to respond to given therapy is suspected of having hypersensitivity factor, particularly to nickel," said dr. Niken Indrastuti SpKK(K) during doctoral program's open examination, on Tuesday (28/2) at Faculty of Medicine UGM.
In this occasion, she maintained her dissertation on The Role of Nickel Allergic Contact and Several Risk Factors on Nummular Dermatitis. According to Niken, various detections of causative factors of dermatitis numularis are very important to decrease the morbidity.
Niken explained nickel usually gets into our bodies via direct contact with skin by the use of certain products or through dietary intake to our mouth. Nevertheless, she recognized that nickel exposure in daily activities is difficult to be avoided.
"It is difficult to keep away from nickel exposure in our daily activities," Niken added.
Prolonged duration of direct nickel exposure to skin determines allergic contact. In her research, hypersensitivity to sulphate nickel which appeared on lymphocytes stimulation index at SMDT culture stimulated by sulphate nickel allergen, patch test to nickel, IFN-y content, and solicitudes (BAI) statistically (P<0,05) becomes causative factor of Nummular Dermatitis.
"There is evidence of nickel allergic role as causative factor of dermatitis numularis which is shown by patch test result, lymphocytes stimulation index, and IFN-y cytokines content," she explained.
Besides nickel exposure, she mentioned psychological stress is also one of Nummular Dermatitis causative factors which is proven by solicitude level of Nummular Dermatitis patient which is higher than those who are not. Therefore, she recommends nummular dermatitis patients to do clinical examination as well as nickel allergic and psychological examination particularly on solicitude aspect.
Prof. Dr. Hardyanto Soebono SpKK(K) as the research promotor said an advance research on nickel allergic done by dr. Niken is indispensable. This research, according to Prof. Hardyanto, can give insight on allergic causative factors which have yet to be heeded, such as nickel exposure by environment both from pollution, water, etc.
"All this while, people still believe that allergic causative factors come from food, therefore they often ask their doctors about what they should not eat. However, there are lots of allergic factors. Therefore, this kind of research is indispensable," he added. (Humas UGM/Fiki)