Pruritus
Basics
DESCRIPTION
Pruritus, or itch, is one of the most frequent dermatologic complaints. It is an unpleasant sensation characterized by the reflexive behavior to scratch and is a symptom associated with numerous inflammatory and infectious skin diseases. However, generalized and persistent pruritus without or with minimal skin changes may be a presenting feature of a variety of systemic diseases.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
- Itch-specific peripheral nerves are unmyelinated afferent C-fibers.
- Pruritus is dependent on the complex interplay of neuroinflammatory modulators among peripheral nerves, keratinocytes, and leukocytes as well as central nervous system (CNS) processing.
- There are numerous mediators of pruritus, although histamine is the prototypical pharmacologic target for many patients.
ETIOLOGY
- Dermatologic: arising from skin disease
- Systemic: arising from noncutaneous organ systems including metabolic causes, drugs, and multifactorial disorders
- Neurogenic: arising from disorders of the central or peripheral nervous system
- Psychogenic: arising from primary psychiatric disorders
- Mixed: coexistence of more than one etiology of pruritus
- Idiopathic: pruritus of uncertain etiology
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Pruritus." Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics, 7th ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2015. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14134/all/Pruritus.
Pruritus. In: Cabana MDM, ed. Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14134/all/Pruritus. Accessed November 8, 2024.
Pruritus. (2015). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics (7th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14134/all/Pruritus
Pruritus [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. [cited 2024 November 08]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14134/all/Pruritus.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Pruritus
ID - 14134
ED - Cabana,Michael D,
BT - Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics
UR - https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14134/all/Pruritus
PB - Wolters Kluwer Health
ET - 7
DB - Medicine Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -