Practice Gaps in Pruritus

Jonathan I Silverberg

doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.02.008

Practice Gaps in Pruritus

Dermatol Clin. 2016 Jul;34(3):257-61. doi: 10.1016/j.det.2016.02.008.

Author

Jonathan I Silverberg¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Northwestern Medicine Multidisciplinary Eczema Center, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

There are several practice gaps in the evaluation and management of itch. These gaps include a dearth of objective measures of itch, infrequent use of validated patient-reported outcomes for itch, non-evidence-based treatment, and lack of consensus about the ideal workup for generalized itch. The present article reviews these gaps and presents potential solutions.

Keywords: Assessment; Education; Itch; Pruritus; Treatment; Workup.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Actigraphy
Chronic Disease
Dermatology* / education
Dermatology* / standards
Humans
Pruritus / drug therapy*
Pruritus / etiology*
Quality of Life
Severity of Illness Index
Visual Analog Scale

Grants and funding

K12 HS023011/HS/AHRQ HHS/United States