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Chronic pruritus is a prevalent interdisciplinary symptom with a strong influence on health-related quality of life. Patients need extensive diagnostics and long-term treatment. This retrospective and prospective cohort study compared routine and universitybased specialized care in terms of cost-effectiveness and patient benefit. Direct medical and non-medical costs and patient-reported outcomes (PRO; pruritus intensity, quality of life, treatment needs and benefits) were assessed. Data analyses were conducted using descriptive methods and non-parametric statistical tests. A total of 300 adult patients (54.3% female) participated in the study. Six months after the treatment start in a specialized German pruritus care unit, the total costs were significantly reduced (mean total costs 686 € vs 433 € per patient per half year (total cohort); p< 0.001; mean out-ofpocket costs 198 € vs 124 € per half year (total cohort), p<  0.001). Pruritus intensity (numerical rating scale 5.3 vs 3.7, p<0.001), quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index 8.9 vs 5.7, p<0.001) and patient benefit (Patient Benefit Index Pruritus 1.2 vs 2.1, p<0.001) improved significantly (total cohort). The results of this study show, that treatment of chronic pruritus patients in a specialized itch centre leads to an improvement in patient benefit and reduces the economic burden at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Itch is a common symptom, but there is limited evidence on the prevalence of itch in children. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of itch in schoolchildren. A questionnaire was developed by experts in the field and based on a literature search. The questionnaire was applied in a pilot study of 25 consecutively selected paediatric patients and their parents. It confirmed the high content validity of the questionnaire, and the questionnaire was comparable to hospital records regarding chronic itch (n = 19, mean consistency 89.47%). The questionnaire was distributed among German schoolchildren in 9/12 randomly selected primary schools in Kiel, Germany. Of 1,722 invited students, 443 schoolchildren aged 6-10 years participated, and 26.2% (n = 116) reported itch. The prevalence of acute itch was 20.0% (n = 87), and 14.7% (n = 65) reported chronic itch. Reduced sleep and mood were often related to chronic itch. This study demonstrated that itch is a common symptom in German schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pruritus is a common symptom, associated with several severe medical conditions, great psychological burden, and reduced quality of life. It also poses socio-economic challenges concerning patients' work loss and healthcare costs. In Germany, medical rehabilitation programmes represent an integral part of the medical care of patients with chronic inflammatory skin diseases. However, such programmes play only a rudimentary role in the treatment of other dermatological diseases, such as dermatological oncology, genetic skin diseases, and chronic pruritus. Therefore, a specific antipruritic dermatological rehabilitation programme was developed in cooperation between the Department of Dermatology of the Medical Rehabilitation Center Bad Bentheim and the Center for Chronic Pruritus of the University Hospital of Muenster, Germany. This prospective study compared short-term patient-reported outcomes (n = 121) at the beginning and end of the rehabilitation programme. The majority of subjects had chronic pruritus on primary diseased, inflamed skin. Significant improvements in pruritus intensity (p ≤ 0.001), quality of life (p ≤ 0.001), anxiety symptoms (p ≤ 0.001) and depression (p ≤ 0.001), as well as an overall patientrelevant benefit (Patient Benefit Index 2.6 ± 1.06) and treatment-related patients' satisfaction, were shown. This suggests that implementation of this standardized rehabilitation programme for treatment of patients with chronic pruritus was successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human hands are complex structures essential for a variety of functions in everyday life. This study prospectively investigated the clinical features of hand pruritus and the resulting functional impairment and disease-related burden in 395 patients with chronic pruritus (210 females, median age 59 years). Moderate to very severe hand pruritus was reported by 91.2% of patients, while 79% perceived additional sensory symptoms, such as burning, pain or tingling. A long duration of pruritus occurred in most cases (> 6 months: 71.4%). A considerable proportion of patients showed moderate to severe impairment in the use of their hands (40.2%), performance of daily activities (65.0%) and quality of life (45.2%). Disease severity and burden is particularly high when both the palms and the backs of the hands are affected, and when pain is present simultaneously. Pruritus located on the hands is impairing and burdensome due to the functional relevance of the hands in everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pruritus of unknown origin is established when no underlying origin for pruritus can be determined. This retrospective cohort study aimed to determine the clinical profile and disease-related burden of chronic pruritus of unknown origin. A total of 263 patients (female/male: 154/109, median age 55 years) were included. Moderate to severe itch intensities were recorded (median average itch: 5.5/10, n = 200; median worst itch: 7.5/10, n = 199). In most cases pruritus lasted longer than 1 year (77.6%), occurred daily (68.2%), occurred in attacks (72.8%), and was often accompanied by dysaesthesias, such as burning, tingling and stinging. Quality of life was moderately impaired, while 22.2% and 12.4% of patients showed pathological anxiety and depression scores. Scratch lesions were associated with higher intensities of itch and greater impairment of quality of life, while women were more burdened by the disease than men. Chronic pruritus of unknown origin may occur at any age and the majority of patients endure severe itch with substantial disease-related burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to assess small-fibre neuropathy (SFN) as a potential cause of itch in diabetes mellitus (DM). It mentions that the study analyzes other factors that may contribute to itch in DM, such as glycaemic control and skin xerosis. It informs that SFN was assessed with intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD).