Objectives of ESSCA
Contact allergy is a frequent condition affecting up to 20% of the general population, with its clinical manifestation – allergic contact dermatitis (incidence ~7 per 1,000 per year) – imposing a considerable socioeconomic burden.
Recommendations concerning primary prevention must be founded on sound scientific knowledge concerning the occurrence of allergen exposures in the population. To provide such evidence-based data on a European scale, the expert network ESSCA (European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies) was established.
The central aim of ESSCA is the continuous, standardized analysis (surveillance) of pooled clinical and epidemiological patch test data. This collaborative multicentre network fulfills several key missions:
- Internal Quality Control: Establishing common protocols, diagnostic consistency, and validation routines across clinical dermatology centres.
- International Exposure Comparisons: Analyzing variations in allergen exposure patterns across European countries to account for regional and cultural differences.
- Time-Trend & Subgroup Analyses: Rapidly identifying newly emerging contact allergens, assessing trends over time, and monitoring high-risk occupational or consumer subgroups.
- Post-Marketing Surveillance: Supplying authoritative safety signals and surveillance data to regulatory authorities and industry to support preventive interventions.
Scientific & Technical Approach
The work of ESSCA unites medical informatics with epidemiological and clinical dermatology research:
Uniform Data Interface
Local export interfaces enabling standardized data pooling across participating clinics regardless of their underlying local IT infrastructure.
WinAlldat / ESSCA Software
Dedicated multilingual patch test documentation software facilitating rigorous data capture. → PubMed Reference
Coordinating Data Centre
Centralized data clearinghouse ensuring strict data quality control and governance. → Data Management SOP (PDF)
Workshops & Communal Reporting
Regular scientific workshops, peer-reviewed multi-centre publications, and continuous surveillance monitoring reports.