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Drug-induced pruritus

Drug-induced pruritus
SpecialtyDermatology

Drug-induced pruritus is itchiness of the skin caused by medication, a pruritic reaction that is generalized.[1]: 57 

Signs and symptoms

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Depending on the causing agent, symptoms may start out acutely, go away when the drug is stopped, or develop into a chronic pruritus that lasts longer than six weeks.[2]

Causes

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A common anti-malarial medication called chloroquine may cause pruritus for unknown reasons. Other antimalarials like amodiaquine, halofantrine, and hydroxychloroquine have also been linked to pruritus, albeit less frequently and to a lesser extent.[2]

Another class of medications known to occasionally cause itching is known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors.[3]

Itching is one of the most frequent adverse effects of opioid therapy.[4]

A common artificial colloid used in clinical fluid management is hydroxyethyl starch (HES). Well-defined side effects, such as coagulopathy, clinical bleeding, anaphylactoid reactions, and pruritus, can make using HES more difficult.[5]

Epidemiology

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Thirty-three percent of the 3,671 cases of cutaneous adverse drug reactions included itching as a common complaint.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ James WD, Berger T, Elston D (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology (10th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-7216-2921-6.
  2. ^ a b Reich, A; Ständer, S; Szepietowski, JC (2009). "Drug-induced Pruritus: A Review". Acta Dermato Venereologica. 89 (3). Medical Journals Sweden AB: 236–244. doi:10.2340/00015555-0650. ISSN 0001-5555. PMID 19479118.
  3. ^ Cederberg, Jonas; Knight, Stefan; Svenson, Svante; Melhus, Håkan (2004). "Itch and skin rash from chocolate during fluoxetine and sertraline treatment: Case report". BMC Psychiatry. 4 (1). doi:10.1186/1471-244X-4-36. ISSN 1471-244X. PMC 533866. PMID 15522120.
  4. ^ Katcher, Jerald; Walsh, Declan (1999). "Opioid-Induced Itching". Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 17 (1). Elsevier BV: 70–72. doi:10.1016/s0885-3924(98)00115-8. ISSN 0885-3924. PMID 9919868.
  5. ^ Bork, K. (2005). "Pruritus precipitated by hydroxyethyl starch: a review". British Journal of Dermatology. 152 (1). Oxford University Press (OUP): 3–12. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06272.x. ISSN 0007-0963. PMID 15656795. S2CID 13483776.
  6. ^ Patel, TejasK; Thakkar, SejalH; Sharma, DC (2014). "Cutaneous adverse drug reactions in Indian population: A systematic review". Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 5 (6). Medknow: S76-86. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.146165. ISSN 2229-5178. PMC 4290186. PMID 25593813.
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