Papers of the Week

Chronic pruritus, itch that persists for more than six weeks, poses significant challenges to patients’ health and quality of life. It is a common reason for visits to dermatologists and general practictioners and can be caused by a range of conditions, including systemic diseases such as chronic kidney disease or liver diseases, malignancies, as well as neuropathic conditions and dermatoses like atopic dermatitis. Chronic pruritus often does not develop in parallel with the course of the disease and can become an entity of its own, which must be treated antipruritically, even if the underlying cause is already under therapy. Depending on the aetiology of chronic pruritus, different pathways in the pathogenesis have been analysed recently, following which new treatments have been developed and tested in randomized controlled trials. This article discusses the recent results of these studies and highlights how best to manage the healthcare for patients with chronic pruritus.