UREMIC PRURITUS EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

Course overview

UREMIC PRURITUS OR CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE-ASSOCIATED PRURITUS (CKDAP) REFERS TO ITCHING ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, WHICH IS NOT LINKED TO OTHER CAUSES OF ITCHING. IT FREQUENTLY COMPLICATES CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. UREMIC PRURITUS MAY BE LOCALIZED OR GENERALIZED AND CAN IMPACT SLEEP IN THESE PATIENTS. IN ADDITION, UREMIC PRURITUS IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR ADHERENCE AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES. AS SUCH, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RECOGNIZE AND TREAT UREMIC PRURITUS PROMPTLY. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROPOSED PATHOGENETIC MECHANISMS TO EXPLAIN UREMIC PRURITUS, AND THESE MECHANISMS ARE POTENTIAL TARGETS OF THERAPY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE MANAGEMENT OF UREMIC PRURITUS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.