Assessment and classification of chronic pruritis and its relation to systemic diseases

Authors

  • Nawal Rajeh Alyamani Department of Dermatology, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Noura Talal Almutairi College of Medicine, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia
  • Riam Saleh Alkhamis College of Medicine, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia
  • Rehab Bakr Brnawa College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
  • Samah Omar Badeghaish College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
  • Renad Ghazi Alhazmi College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
  • Rana Mohammed Hilmi Department of Dermatology, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Abeer Hassan Alfakeeh College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Qunfudah, Saudi Arabia
  • Orjuwan Maher Abushanab College of Medicine, Ibn Sina National College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Ruya Adel Abdullah College of Medicine, Ibn Sina National College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Wadiah Mahdi Alhakeem Department of Emergency Medicine, Safwa General Hospital, Safwa, Saudi Arabia
  • Mohammed Ahmed Safar College of Medicine, Ibn Sina National College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20214454

Keywords:

Pruritis, Evaluation, Classification, Systemic diseases, Diagnosis

Abstract

Although pruritis might not be a serious condition with significant healthcare impacts, it is usually associated with an unpleasant sensation that leads to scratching the skin. It has been demonstrated that the severity of the condition is significantly variable and ranges between disabling and mild conditions. Chronic pruritis has been defined as the presence of daily itching for >6 months. In the present literature review, we have discussed the different approaches that have been previously indicated to assess and evaluate chronic pruritis, and the classification of the condition its relation to the different systemic diseases. The classification of chronic pruritis can be done using a clinical or an etiological diagnosis. The clinical diagnosis is usually based a primary skin condition, while the etiological diagnosis is based on the presence of different diseases that may be systematic, neurological, or psychiatric disorders. Accordingly, conducting a thorough examination is essential to establish a proper diagnosis before adequately managing the affected patients. Furthermore, the treatment of the underlying etiology should also be adequately considered for adequate management and enhanced prognosis.

References

Twycross R, Greaves MW, Handwerker H. Itch: scratching more than the surface. QJM: monthly journal of the Association of Physicians. 2003;96(1):7-26.

Polat M, Öztas P, Ilhan MN, Yalçin B, Alli N. Generalized pruritus. American journal of clinical dermatology. 2008;9(1):39-44.

Zirwas MJ, Seraly MP. Pruritus of unknown origin: a retrospective study. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2001;45(6):892-6.

Patel T, Yosipovitch G. Therapy of pruritus. Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy. 2010;11(10):1673-82.

Weisshaar E, Szepietowski JC, Darsow U. European guideline on chronic pruritus. Acta dermato-venereologica. 2012;92(5):563-81.

Matterne U, Apfelbacher CJ, Loerbroks A. Prevalence, correlates and characteristics of chronic pruritus: a population-based cross-sectional study. Acta dermato-venereologica. 2011;91(6):674-9.

Weisshaar E, Szepietowski JC, Dalgard FJ. European S2k Guideline on Chronic Pruritus. Acta dermato-venereologica. 2019;99(5):469-506.

Rajagopalan M, Saraswat A, Godse K. Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Pruritus: An Expert Consensus Review. Indian journal of dermatology. 2017;62(1):7-17.

Ballmer-Weber BK, Dummer R. Pruritus in frequent skin diseases and therapeutic options. Praxis. 2007;96(4):107-11.

Cacoub P, Poynard T, Ghillani P. Extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C. MULTIVIRC Group. Multidepartment Virus C. Arthritis and rheumatism. 1999;42(10):2204-12.

Kremer AE, van Dijk R, Leckie P. Serum autotaxin is increased in pruritus of cholestasis, but not of other origin, and responds to therapeutic interventions. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md). 2012;56(4):1391-400.

Berger TG, Steinhoff M. Pruritus and renal failure. Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery. 2011;30(2):99-100.

Sreedevi C, Car N, Pavlic-Renar I. Dermatologic lesions in diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia Croatica. 2002;31.

Bin Saif GA, Ericson ME, Yosipovitch G. The itchy scalp--scratching for an explanation. Experimental dermatology. 2011;20(12):959-68.

Yonova D. Pruritus in certain internal diseases. Hippokratia. 2007;11(2):67-71.

Dahl MG. Premenstrual pruritus due to recurrent cholestasis. Transactions of the St John's Hospital Dermatological Society. 1970;56(1):11-3.

Stephens CJ, Black MM. Perimenstrual eruptions: autoimmune progesterone dermatitis. Seminars in dermatology. 1989;8(1):26-9.

Gelfand JM, Rudikoff D. Evaluation and treatment of itching in HIV-infected patients. The Mount Sinai journal of medicine, New York. 2001;68(4-5):298-308.

Marziniak M, Phan NQ, Raap U. Brachioradial pruritus as a result of cervical spine pathology: the results of a magnetic resonance tomography study. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2011;65(4):756-62.

Kinsella LJ, Carney-Godley K, Feldmann E. Lichen simplex chronicus as the initial manifestation of intramedullary neoplasm and syringomyelia. Neurosurgery. 1992;30(3):418-21.

Bond LD, Jr., Keough GC. Neurogenic pruritus: a case of pruritus induced by transverse myelitis. The British journal of dermatology. 2003;149(1):204-5.

Garibyan L, Chiou AS, Elmariah SB. Advanced aging skin and itch: addressing an unmet need. Dermatologic therapy. 2013;26(2):92-103.

Ellis C. Notalgia paresthetica: the unreachable itch. Dermatology practical & conceptual. 2013;3(1):3-6.

Reich A, Ständer S, Szepietowski JC. Drug-induced pruritus: a review. Acta dermato-venereologica. 2009;89(3):236-44.

Kaplan AP. Drug-induced skin disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1984;74(4 Pt 2):573-9.

Metze D, Reimann S, Szepfalusi Z, Bohle B, Kraft D, Luger TA. Persistent pruritus after hydroxyethyl starch infusion therapy: a result of long-term storage in cutaneous nerves. The British journal of dermatology. 1997;136(4):553-9.

Ständer S, Weisshaar E, Mettang T. Clinical classification of itch: a position paper of the International Forum for the Study of Itch. Acta dermato-venereologica. 2007;87(4):291-4.

Afifi Y, Aubin F, Puzenat E. Pruritus sine materia: a prospective study of 95 patients. La Revue de medecine interne. 2004;25(7):490-3.

Downloads

Published

2021-11-24

How to Cite

Alyamani, N. R., Almutairi, N. T., Alkhamis, R. S., Brnawa, R. B., Badeghaish, S. O., Alhazmi, R. G., Hilmi, R. M., Alfakeeh, A. H., Abushanab, O. M., Abdullah, R. A., Alhakeem, W. M., & Safar, M. A. (2021). Assessment and classification of chronic pruritis and its relation to systemic diseases. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 8(12), 6107–6111. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20214454

Issue

Section

Review Articles