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Query: UMLS:C0033774 (pruritus)
 14,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Pruritus is a common complaint among patients of psoriasis vulgaris of the chronic plaque type. Despite a high prevalence of pruritus in psoriasis, limited information is available on this subject. The aim was to assess patients' perspective of pruritus in psoriasis vulgaris of plaque type, by using focus groups. A total of 20 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis participated in focus group discussions and were divided into five groups, on different occasions. Themes for the discussion were introduced and moderated by the investigators. The focus groups created a proper atmosphere for discussion on different aspects of pruritus in psoriasis. The patients regarded themselves able to discriminate between pruritus and pain. Pruritus was most common on the lower back and legs. Stress, cold weather and skin dryness were seen as the most common worsening factors for pruritus. Sunbathing and application of emollients with or without steroids and calcipotriol cream were suggested as factors that relieved pruritus. Quality of life was affected in some patients, for instance they were reluctant to participate in social activities. Patients' perspectives on pruritus in psoriasis were important for a better understanding of this sensation. The information collected from the focus group discussions might be useful for further study in this area.
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PMID:Focus groups in Swedish psoriatic patients with pruritus. 1818 68

Three patients with mycosis fungoides in the thickened plaque and early tumor stages of the disease were treated with intralesional injections of triamcinolone solution. Both triamcinolone diacetate and acetonide in concentrations of 0.75 per cent or higher were effective in reducing the tumors and symptomatically controlling the pruritus. Other parts of the same lesions treated with other substances or not treated remained unchanged.
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PMID:MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES-Local Injection of Triamcinolone. 1873 6

Four cases of vulval basal cell carcinoma were identified in multiparous females aged 46-78 years. Symptoms included discomfort and pruritus ranging from 6 weeks to 4 years in duration. Such symptoms occurred in the context of a pink vulval plaque. The non-specific symptoms, in the context of the particular anatomical site, led to late presentation. Subsequent treatment in all cases involved wide local excision following incisional biopsy. No recurrence has been documented after a minimum follow-up period of 12 months.
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PMID:Basal cell carcinoma of the vulva: a report of four cases. 1991 78

Current research in pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris suggests that the inflammatory mechanisms are immune based and most likely initiated and maintained by T cells. However, the question of lymphocyte being an initiator of psoriatic events remains open so far. Clinical observations such as plaque symmetry, stress-induced onset or exacerbations, pruritus, and possibility of generalization, suggest a role of the nervous system and neurogenic inflammation in pathogenesis. A key to understanding the role of melanocyte in psoriasis is their ability to act as regulatory cell in maintaining epidermal homeostasis. In suggested hypothetic event, melanocyte, acting as a local "stress sensor", provide communicatory link between CNS and skin. The disease probably begins with so far unknown signal directed through neuronal network to the melanocyte, placed in the center of epidermal unit. That signal governs keratinocyte cellular activities and lead to reactive abnormal epidermal differentiation and hyperproliferation. Increased proliferation of basal keratinocytes and high metabolic demands creates angiogenesis in papillary dermis and elongation of dermal papillae. Stimulated melanocytes and basal keratinocytes become an important source of proinflammatory cytokines that attract lymphocytes in dermis. In conclusion, according to our hypothesis, lymphocyte infiltrate in psoriasis is secondary event rather than vice versa as presented in the literature.
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PMID:Melanocyte as a possible key cell in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. 1930 64

Topical vitamin D modulators are among the most widely used medications for the treatment of psoriasis. Calcitriol, the naturally occurring active form of vitamin D3, has long been used for topical psoriasis therapy in Europe and other parts of the world and was recently approved in the United States. Calcitriol 3 microg/g ointment has been extensively evaluated for the treatment of chronic plaque-type psoriasis and has been shown to be effective, safe and well-tolerated in a number of short-term and long-term clinical trials. Pharmacokinetic studies in patients with psoriasis and healthy control subjects have demonstrated that topical calcitriol ointment produces little systemic absorption of calcitriol and does not alter systemic calcium homeostasis significantly even when applied to approximately one third of the body surface area. Calcitriol ointment is associated with a low rate of cutaneous irritation and does not increase the sensitivity of treated skin to phototoxicity following treatment with ultraviolet treatment. In two randomized, double-blind clinical trials, twice-daily application of calcitriol ointment for eight weeks resulted in clearing or minimal residual psoriasis in approximately 34% of patients, compared with 12% to 22.5% of patients treated with vehicle ointment (P=0.005 in study 1 and P<0.001 in study 2). Calcitriol ointment also significantly improved ratings of individual psoriasis signs and symptoms of plaque elevation, erythema, scaling and pruritus compared to vehicle. In two long-term studies in which patients were treated with calcitriol ointment for a year or longer, calcitriol ointment produced sustained improvement in physician-rated and patient-rated psoriasis severity. Calcitriol ointment was associated with a low risk of adverse events after one year and did not alter laboratory measures of calcium or phosphorus metabolism in a clinically significant manner. The results of these studies suggest that calcitriol 3 microg/g ointment is an effective, safe and well-tolerated topical psoriasis therapy. Calcitriol ointment offers considerable flexibility for use in a variety of monotherapy and combination therapy regimens for patients with psoriasis.
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PMID:Efficacy and safety of topical calcitriol 3 microg/g ointment, a new topical therapy for chronic plaque psoriasis. 1970 31

Moderate to severe psoriasis often requires systemic treatment, but even biologic medications do not always induce complete clearing in patients. In many instances, physicians supplement biologic treatment with topical agents as adjunctive therapy to obtain additional clearing of plaques. To evaluate the effectiveness of the addition of a superpotent corticosteroid--clobetasol propionate spray 0.05%--to various psoriasis treatments, a phase 4, multicenter, open-label, community-based trial was conducted. In this study, clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% applied twice daily was added on to a variety of existing stable treatments including systemic biologic agents in participants with moderate, severe, or very severe plaque psoriasis. The decision to add clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% to stable psoriasis therapy was determined by each investigator based on his/her evaluation of a participant's needs. A total of 159 participants from the trial adhered to stable (> or = 3 months' duration) therapeutic regimens that included a biologic treatment. In this population, at the end of the study period, 81.0% of participants with moderate disease at baseline, 79.5% of participants with severe disease at baseline, and 58.8% of participants with very severe disease at baseline were rated as clear or almost clear (target plaque severity [TPS]). Worst skin tolerability response was assessed postbaseline and included erythema (20.3% mild, 8.9% moderate, 1.9% severe), peeling (26.6% mild, 7.0% moderate, 1.3% severe), dryness (34.8% mild, 8.9% moderate, 1.3% severe), and stinging (25.3% mild, 3.8% moderate, 0.6% severe). Telangiectasia and skin atrophy were reported in 1.3% of participants each at some point during the study (postbaseline). Pruritus was reported in 7.6% of participants and folliculitis was reported in 1.9% of participants. Eight participants experienced adverse events (AEs) that were regarded as probably related to the study medication (clobetasol propionate spray 0.05%). Because those participants who entered the study already were receiving one medication (the biologic agent), it is believed that most of the reported AEs were due to the addition of clobetasol propionate spray 0.05%, and those AEs associated with the biologic agent and/or the combination of the two may be underreported. Although the results of this study are intriguing, further research is needed to evaluate if the addition of topical therapies, such as superpotent corticosteroids, are effective and safe options for treating psoriasis plaques when control with biologic therapy is not fully effective on its own.
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PMID:Clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% add-on therapy to a stable regimen of biologic treatment in patients with moderate to very severe plaque psoriasis. 1991 99

Disseminated superficial porokeratosis (DSP) is a specific disorder of keratinization. Genetic studies show that DSP is an autosomal dominant trait. Clinically, the lesions show a sharply demarcated and hyperkeratotic plaque with central atrophy. The lesions appear mainly in the extremities and generally develop with bilateral symmetry. Unusual cases of DSP accompanied by severe pruritus have been reported as "eruptive pruritic papular porokeratosis" or "inflammatory DSP." Histopathologically, inflammatory DSP is characterized by the presence of cornoid lamella with a dense infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes in the perivascular area of the upper dermis. Here we report a case of inflammatory DSP in a 84-year-old man with colon cancer who presented with multiple hyperpigmented atrophic macules.
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PMID:A case of inflammatory disseminated superficial porokeratosis in a colon cancer patient. 2052 74

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between itch and the well-being of patients with psoriasis. In a study of 102 patients with plaque-type psoriasis, pruritus was found in 91 (89.2%) patients during exacerbation of psoriasis. No significant correlation was found between disease severity and the presence and intensity of pruritus. However, pruritus intensity correlated significantly with patients' quality of life, feelings of stigmatization, stress experienced within a period of one month before psoriasis outbreak, and depressive symptoms. In conclusion, pruritus may have a significant negative influence on the psychosocial status of patients with psoriasis. There is a need for the development of effective anti-pruritic treatments in order to improve the well-being of patients with psoriasis.
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PMID:Pruritus is an important factor negatively influencing the well-being of psoriatic patients. 2052 42

Desmoplastic leiomyosarcoma is a rare histologic variant of cutaneous leiomyosarcoma seen more commonly in men in their 50s and 60s. This neoplasm typically presents as a solitary, enlarging red-pink nodule or plaque on the extensor surfaces of lower extremities. Its unusual histology mimics other cutaneous desmoplastic lesions and the knowledge of this entity and use of an appropriate immunohistochemical panel is essential to arrive at the correct diagnosis. We report a rare case of desmoplastic leiomyosarcoma of the left flank in a 66-year-old male who presented with itching and pain in a long-standing skin lesion. Histopathology showed the presence of individual and small aggregates of spindle to pleomorphic cells with numerous mitoses in a densely fibrotic stroma. Immunohistochemically, the cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, heavy chain myosin, and desmin, confirming their smooth muscle origin. A diagnosis of desmoplastic leiomyosarcoma was made. We discuss the case with a short review of the literature.
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PMID:A case of desmoplastic leiomyosarcoma: a rare variant of cutaneous leiomyosarcoma. 2057 59

The scalp is one of the regions of the body most commonly affected by psoriatic lesions. While the head represents only 10 percent of the body's surface area, the consequences of scalp psoriasis are disproportionate to the area, as it can be seriously debilitating and presents social and emotional distress to the affected individual. Scalp lesions are often well-demarcated and may have thick gray or white scale; patients with scalp psoriasis frequently complain of pruritus and shedding of scale. Current treatment modalities--including phototherapy, topical corticosteroids, topical vitamin D analogues and conventional systemic therapies--have produced unsatisfactory results for patients with moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis due to difficulties in administration to the disease site, poor compliance, toxicity and inadequate long-term efficacy. The emergence of biologic therapies as an effective modality for the treatment of plaque psoriasis may provide another option for patients suffering from plaque psoriasis of the scalp.
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PMID:Scalp psoriasis: an overview of the disease and available therapies. 2068 41


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