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Itch in Organs Beyond the Skin

  • Allergic Skin Diseases (L Fonacier and A Wollenberg, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review was to explore mechanisms, causes, and therapies of itchy conditions involving organs beyond the skin including the eyes, ears, nose, and genital region.

Recent Findings

Conditions which cause itch in these locations vary from skin diseases that extend to these areas (i.e., atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis) to allergic conditions (i.e., allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis) and to neuropathic conditions that relate to afferent nerve fiber damage (i.e., lumbosacral radiculopathies in genital disease) as well as some psychological components. Similar to the skin, itch in these locations involves a complex interaction between epithelial cells, unmyelinated C nerve fibers, and cytokines. There is also a significant component of neural sensitization phenomena.

Summary

Mechanisms of itch beyond the skin are currently an understudied topic that affects millions of patients. Future research should be done in order to further understand the pathophysiology of itch in these body sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, and Itch Center University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1475 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Rachel Shireen Golpanian & Gil Yosipovitch

  2. School of Medicine and Griffith Health Institute, Griffith Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia

    Peter Smith

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Correspondence to Gil Yosipovitch.

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Dr. Yosipovitch reports grants and personal fees from Sanofi Regeneron, personal fees from TREVI, grants and personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from Galderma, grants from Sun Pharma, grants and personal fees from Kiniksa, grants and personal fees from Menlo, personal fees from Eli Lily, grants and personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from Bellus, grants and personal fees from Leo, outside the submitted work. Dr. Smith reports grants from MEDA; personal fees from MEDA; personal fees from Sanofi; personal fees from GSK, MEDA, Astra Zeneca, and Bayer, outside the submitted work. Dr. Golpanian declares no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

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Golpanian, R.S., Smith, P. & Yosipovitch, G. Itch in Organs Beyond the Skin. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 20, 49 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-020-00947-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-020-00947-z

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