Occupational platinum salt allergy. Diagnosis, prognosis, prevention and therapy

Abstract

With the exception of the extremely rare allergy to the anti-tumor agent cis-platinum, platinum (Pt) salt allergy has exclusively been regarded as an occupational disease. The first cases of Pt salt allergy were found in workers of a photographic studio (Karasek and Karasek 1911). Afterwards, Pt salt allergy has been described in precious metal refineries and catalyst productions. The allergenic potential is restricted to halogenated Pt compounds and increases with the number of halogeno ligands (Cleare et al. 1976). The most frequent Pt compounds causing Pt salt allergy are hexachloroplatinic acid and its salts. These substances occur during the refining process of Pt from various industrial sources (mainly in the UK, the USA, France, Germany) or from mining (South Africa, USA, Canada, Russia). They are used for the impregnation of catalysts. Exposure to Pt salts is qualitatively and quantitatively different between refineries and catalyst productions. The majority of cases of Pt salt allergy have been reported in refineries (Table 1). However, due to the increasing use of car catalysts worldwide, a greater number of cases may be expected in catalyst productions.