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Pruritus and Atopic Dermatitis

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Abstract

Atopic eczema is one of the most pruritic skin diseases. Mediators of atopic eczema itch in the skin are still mostly unknown, but recent studies showed that the histamine 4 receptor plays an important role in itch pathophysiology; tryptase and interleukin-31 are also involved. Differences in itch perception and itch kinetics between healthy volunteers and eczema patients point towards an ongoing central nervous inhibitory activity in patients. Questionnaire studies reported comparatively higher loads in affective items chosen by patients with atopic eczema. In the concept of patient management, the therapy of clinical pruritus has to consider origin and perception of itch, namely the skin and the central nervous system, by combining topical and systemic treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

    Ulf Darsow, Florian Pfab & Johannes Ring

  2. Division of Environmental Dermatology and Allergy GSF/TUM, Munich, Germany

    Ulf Darsow, Florian Pfab, Johannes Huss-Marp & Heidrun Behrendt

  3. Christine Kühne Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Munich, Germany

    Ulf Darsow, Florian Pfab, Heidrun Behrendt & Johannes Ring

  4. Department of Neurology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

    Michael Valet

  5. Department of Dermatology, Competence Center Pruritus, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Sonja Ständer

  6. Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie am Biederstein, Technische Universität München, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Ulf Darsow

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  1. Ulf Darsow
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  2. Florian Pfab
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  3. Michael Valet
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Correspondence to Ulf Darsow.

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Darsow, U., Pfab, F., Valet, M. et al. Pruritus and Atopic Dermatitis. Clinic Rev Allerg Immunol 41, 237–244 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12016-010-8230-2

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