Decades of pain research have succeeded in elucidating complex mechanisms of acute activation and chronic sensitization of nociceptors leading to pain. In contrast, itch conditions have received less attention and even basic mechanisms for the induction of itch are still unclear. In this review we describe itch-specific pathways, but also evidence for a modified pattern theory of pruritus offer...

Chronic itch is a common symptom in haemodialysis (HD) patients, which is often underestimated. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with chronic itch in HD patients. A total of 860 HD patients from a randomly selected cluster-sample of patients attending dialysis units in Germany were included. The patients' mean?±?SD age was 67.2?±?13....

BACKGROUND Despite the fact that severe itch is common in many dermatological diseases, the therapeutic arsenal against itching is limited. From neurophysiological experiments, using a new technique termed cutaneous field stimulation, it is known that acute itch can be effectively relieved by stimulation of cutaneous nociceptors. METHODS We tested the effects of cutaneous field stimulation (2...

INTRODUCTION Pruritus in elderly patients can have a significant impact on the quality of life but may be underestimated and poorly addressed by healthcare professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS From March to May 2010, a structured interview questionnaire including the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was administered to all patients admitted to the geriatric ward in Changi General Hospital...

Functional brain imaging studies on itch usually use histamine as a stimulus and, in consequence, have to cope with the highly variable time course of this particular itch sensation. In this study, we describe a novel method of histamine application. To provoke itch, a mixture of histamine and codeine was applied through intradermally positioned microdialysis fiber. The itch was terminated by l...

The aim of this double-blinded, vehicle-controlled study was to test the antipruritic efficacy of topical strontium to relieve a nonhistaminergic form of itch that would be clinically relevant for chronic pruritic diseases. Itch induced with cowhage is mediated by PAR2 receptors which are considered to play a major role in itch of atopic dermatitis and possibly other acute and chronic pruritic ...

Invited Lectures 604 Free Communications 612 Poster Presentations 623 Index 640 7th World Congress on Itch (WCI) 2013 September 21–23, 2013 at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 600 7th World Congress on Itch (WCI) – September 21–23, 2013, Boston, USA Acta Derm Venereol 93 Saturday, September 21, 2013 14:00–16:30 IFSI Board Meeting 15:00–17:00 Congress registra...

Purpose Chronic itch is a prevalent symptom of many inflammatory skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis (AD). While conventional systemic approaches to reduce AD itch have shown limited efficacy and/or significant side effects, several recent studies have demonstrated effectiveness of acupuncture for reducing itch in healthy adults and AD. We sought to evaluate the brain circuitry underlyi...

Patients with chronic itch suffer from higher levels of depression and anxiety than their healthy counterparts. Furthermore, psychological factors, such as stress, are known to aggravate itch. The mere act of thinking about itching can induce the sensation. Interventions like habit reversal training and arousal reduction have been shown to have positive effects on itch relief. Yet, there is sti...

BACKGROUND Itch is the major symptom of atopic dermatitis (AD). Acupuncture has been shown to exhibit a significant effect on experimental itch in AD. Our study evaluated acupuncture and antihistamine itch therapy (cetirizine) on type I hypersensitivity itch and skin reaction in AD using a patient and examiner-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. METHODS Allergen-induced ...