• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.506-512
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• 2012

Although pruritus is the critical symptom of atopic dermatitis that profoundly affect the patients' quality of life, controlling and management of prurirtus still remains as unmet needs mainly due to the distinctive multifactorial pathogenesis of pruritus in atopic dermatitis. Based on the distinct feature of atopic dermatitis that psychological state of patients substantially influence on the intensity of pruritus, various psychotropic drugs have been used in clinic to relieve pruritus of atopic dermatitis patients. Only several psychotropic drugs were reported to show real antipruritic effects in atopic dermatitis patients including naltrexone, doxepin, trimipramine, bupropion, tandospirone, paroxetine and fluvoxamine. However, the precise mechanisms of antipruritic effect of these psychotropic drugs are still unclear. In human skin, serotonin receptors and serotonin transporter protein are expressed on skin cells such as keratinocytes, melanocytes, dermal fibroblasts, mast cells, T cells, natural killer cells, langerhans cells, and sensory nerve endings. It is noteworthy that serotonergic drugs, as well as serotonin itself, showed immune-modulating effect. Fenfluramine, fluoxetine and 2, 5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine significantly decreased lymphocyte proliferation. It is still questionable whether these serotonergic drugs exert the immunosuppressive effects via serotonin receptor or serotonin transporter. All these clinical and experimental reports suggest the possibility that antipruritic effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in atopic dermatitis patients might be at least partly due to their suppressive effect on T cells. Further studies should be conducted to elucidate the precise mechanism of neuroimmunological interaction in pruritus of atopic dermatitis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.208-213
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• 1997

Background: Pruritus is the most frequent undesirable symptom associated with epidural morphine. It is unpleasant and often difficult to treat. Naloxone is presently the drug of first choice for treating this symptom. Naloxone however decrease the pain threshold in some cases. Recently it was reported subhypnotic doses of propofol were efficient in relieving epidural-morphine-induced pruritus(EMIP). In a prospective. randomized, double-blinded clinical trial, we compared the efficacy of propofol and naloxone for treatment of EMIP. Methods: Forty patients with EMIP were allocated to receive either 20 mg propofol, or 1.5 ${\mu}g/kg$ naloxone intravenously. Pruritus and level of postoperative pain were assessed after 5 min, using pruritus rating scale and visual analogue scale. Results: The overall success rate in treating pruritus was similar in both groups (propofol 70% vs naloxone 65%). Twenty-five percent of the patients in the naloxone group had an increase in the level of postoperative pain versus none in the propofol group(P=0.018). Conclusions: These results suggest propofol and naloxone are equally effective in treating EMIP. However, the level of postoperative pain is significantly reduced when treated with propofol.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.280-285
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• 2002

Pruritus is [CHECK DEFN] itchy feeling of one's skin. We often face stroke patients who complain about Pruritus. They occasionally fail to fall asleep or have a secondary infection as a result of scratching. For these reasons, severe Pruritus brings down general condition and interferes with recovery. The causes of Pruritus are distributed to from skin diseases and from internal diseases. Especially among the skin diseases, Xerotic Eczema, which is called Senile Eczema causes the dry skin in the elderly, especially lower limb's extensor part. According to the epidemiology, 20% of the old have Xerotic Eczema. In oriental medicine, Pruritus is called Pungsoyang(風瘙痒), Pungyang(風痒), Yangpung(痒風), Sinyang(身痒). The cause of Pruritus is divided into two. One is endogenous factors and the other is exogenous factors. The former are deficiency of blood(血虛), blood fever(血熱), wind-heat due to internal damage(內傷風熱), damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder(肝膽濕熱), endogenous wind stirring in the liver(肝風內動), deticiency syndrome of the spleen(脾虛), deficiency of Yin of the liver and kidneys(肝腎陰虛) and deficiency of the Penetration and Conception Vessels(衝任不足). The latter are wind-cold due to exogenous affection(外感風寒) and wind-heat due to exogenous affection(外感風寒). We report two stroke patients who complained of severe Pruritus They were diagnosed as having Xerotic Eczema by a dermatologist. We regarded their Pruritus as blood fever(血熱) and wind-heat(風熱) and prescribed Sopung-San to these patients. These patients showed significant improvement.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.156-164
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• 2020

Objectives : This study is to report a case of tinea pedis accompanied with erythema and pruritus, treated with Korean medicine treatment. Methods : A 26-year-old female patient has suffered from erythema and pruritus on her right 3rd toe. She applied desoximetasone ointment on it for a month, but the effect didn't last long and the symptoms got worse. After disappointing application of the corticosteroid, she received Korean medicine treatment including herbal medicine and herbal external medication for 1.5 months. Results : The skin symptoms such as erythema and pruritus were remarkably improved. Also, the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) of pruritus changed from 4 to 0. Conclusions : This case report suggests that Korean medicine may have a role in treating tinea pedis with some skin symptoms such as erythema and pruritus.

• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.127-148
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• 2003

This paper includes five cases about patient with pruritus and erythema by External Gi-Gong Therapy(EKT) for two days. We judged the patient who has pruritus and erythema, and treated them with External Gi-Gong Therapy(EKT). EKT has always been part of the medical Gi-Gong practice. EKT refers to the process by which a Gi-Gong practitioner directs his intention, or emits his Gi energy, to help others break Gi blockages and induce the sick Gi out of the body so as to alleviate the pain, abate the disease, and balance the flow of Gi. We expect that External Gi-Gong Therapy is effective for patient with pruritus and erythema.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.251-260
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of eating Saengshik and applying Hwangryunhaedok-tang on skin for pregnant woman diagnosed as Pruritus Gravidarum. Methods : This case study was done on 5 Pruritus Gravidarum patients who had visited Korean Medicine Clinic. All the patients are treated with Saengshik and Hwangryunhaedok-tang was applied on their skin. VAS(Visualanalogue scale) and photographs were used to evaluate the symptom change. Results & Conclusion : Most symptoms of patients were improved in this study. Saengshik and Hwangryunhaedok-tang can be effective in patients who were diagnosed as Pruritus Gravidarum.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify the effects of cool dialysis on pruritus of chronic renal failure patients. Methods: The degree of pruritus in 30 patients treated at Hemodialysis Unit in D Medical Center was examined by the itching NRS tool. The data were collected from February 1 to February 28, 2009 and analyzed by the student t-test. The 30 patients were divided into two groups, 15 of experimental group and the same number of control group. Results: The first Hypothesis, that after two hours of hemodialysis the degree of pruritus for the experimental group would be lower than that of the control group is rejected (t=0.726, p=.474). The second Hypothesis, that right after receiving hemodialysis the degree of pruritus would be lower for the experimental group than the control group, is also rejected (t=1.321, p=.199). Conclusion: The research on searching for the effective method of nursing intervention to relieve pruitus for the chronic renal failure patients who receive hemodialysis should be continued.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.725-732
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• 2005

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of oriental medicine therapy on insomnia and diabetic pruritus. This clinical case was analysed on a patient with diabetus mellitus whose main symptom was sleep disorder, which was attributed to pruritus. The patient was admitted on July 16th, 2004, and departed on September 3rd, 2004. He was treated internally and externally with herbal medicine, acupuncture, and bloodletting therapy. After treatment, pruritus and sleep disorder decreased. The study suggests that orental medicime therapy is effective in treatment of diabetic pruritus accompanied by insomnia.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2016

Objectives : Pruritus is a skin disorder that usually occurs in the elderly. The purpose of this study is to report the effect of external preparation containing Ponciri fructus and Radix lithospermi on senile pruritus and xeroderma with liver cirrhosis.Methods : We treated 85-years-old liver cirrhosis patient suffered from itching sensation on the whole body with external preparation containing Ponciri fructus and Radix lithospermi and oral administration of Sodalgeonbitang for 37 days.Results : Despite discontinuing western medical treatment of topical steroids and oral antihistamine, pruritus and erythema of the patient were significantly improved.Conclusions : As for external application, decoction of Ponciri fructus and Radix lithospermi might be effective used for treatment senile pruritus and xeroderma.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the effects of acupressure on pruritus and sleep among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: The study design was a nonequivalent control group repeat measures quasiexperimental study. Data were collected from June to September 2015 in the kidney center at a hospital located in B city. Participants were 42 patients; 20 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. For the experimental group, acupressure on the spots of Sameumgyo (SP6), Zoksamli (ST36), Hyolhae (SP10), and Gokji (LI11) was provided at the time of hemodialysis three times a week for 12 weeks. The numeric rating scale (NRS) was used to measure pruritus, and sleep was measured with the sleep scale developed by Jinju Oh et al. Results: There was a significant decrease in pruritus (F=7.80, p=.008) and increase in sleep (F=80.90, p<.001) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The findings confirmed in the study show that acupressure is an effective nursing intervention to decrease pruritus felt by patients on hemodialysis and to increase the quality of their sleep.