Quality of Life and Pruritus
Pruritus is defined as an unpleasant sensation leading to intensive scratching. It is the most common symptom in dermatology that may occur with or without visible skin lesions (Table 125‐1 ). Various skin and systemic diseases were described to be assoc
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Springer Science+Business Media LLC 2010 (USA)
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Quality of Life and Pruritus
Abstract: > Pruritus is defined as an unpleasant sensation leading to intensive scratching. It is the most common symptom in dermatology that may occur with or without visible skin lesions (> Table 125‐1). Various skin and systemic diseases were described to be associated with the presence of pruritus and different mechanisms were proposed to explain its origin. There is little doubt that > chronic pruritus has negative impact on patients’ well-being. Many patients with chronic itch mentioned it as the most bothersome symptom of the disease they have. Patients suffering from itching were found to have low self-image, suffer from obsessivecompulsive disorders and have difficulties in coping with aggression. Severe pruritus at night frequently resulted in significant sleeping problems. It was also observed, that in many diseases pruritus intensity significantly correlated with degree of quality of life impairment, level of stigmatization, presence and severity of depressive symptoms as well as with emotional stress. Based on available data it could be concluded that chronic pruritus is a devastating symptom impairing all aspects of patients’ life. Further studies are needed to better characterize the exact influence of this symptom on quality of life in various dermatological and systemic diseases. There is also a great necessity of the development of new effective anti-pruritic strategies to reduce or alleviate pruritus in different medical conditions and thus to improve significantly patients’ quality of life. List of Abbreviations: AD, atopic dermatitis; AOR, adjusted odds ratio; BDI, Beck’s depression inventory; CDLQI, children’s dermatology life quality index; DLQI, dermatology life quality index; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; QoL, quality of life; SD, standard deviation; SE, standard error; SF-36, Short form-36
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Introduction
Pruritus is defined as an unpleasant sensation leading to intensive scratching (Yosipovitch and Greaves, 2004). Pruritus can be distinguished as acute or chronic, with the latter defined as pruritus lasting 6 or more weeks (Sta¨nder et al., 2007). It is the most common symptom in . Table 125‐1 Key Facts of pruritus Pruritus is defined as an unpleasant sensation that leads to intensive scratching. Pruritus is the most common symptom in dermatology that may occur with or without visible skin lesions. Pruritus could be of localized or generalized character. Pruritus lasting over 6 weeks is defined as a chronic one. According to the newest clinical classification (Sta¨nder et al., 2007) patients with pruritus may be characterized as those with itching on primarily diseased, inflamed skin, those with pruritus on primarily normal, non-inflamed skin, and those with chronic secondary scratch lesions. Based on etiology chronic pruritus may be classified as dermatological, systemic, neurological, psychogenic/psychosomatic, mixed, or other type. Chronic pruritus can be very distressing,
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