The discrimination between nickel-sensitive and non-nickel-sensitive subjects by an in vitro lymphocyte transformation test

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Abstract
A lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) was able to distinguish between nickel‐sensitive subjects and non‐nickel‐sensitive controls. Sixty‐one out of 66 (92%) nickel‐sensitive subjects had positive stimulation indices in 6‐ and/or 7‐day assays using 5 μg/ml of nickel sulphate, whereas none of the 43 controls gave positive results. Stimulation indices were not enhanced by the patch testing of subjects to nickel before performing the LTT. A weak correlation was seen between the results of the LTT and the macroscopic degree of patch‐test reactivity. The concentration of nickel sulphate used (5 μg/ml) did not have a significant non‐specific mitogenic effect.