Acta dermato-venereologica
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Although pruritus is an essential symptom of atopic dermatitis, its complex pathomechanism is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical pattern of itch in adult subjects with atopic dermatitis. A total of 89 patients (59 females, 30 males) with atopic dermatitis, age range 18-60 years, were included in the study. ⋯ The most frequently used management regimes were topical emollients and oral antihistamines, but the long-term effects of these were very limited. There was a positive correlation between intensity of itch and age (r = 0.3, p = 0.004), and between disease duration and intensity of maximal itch (r = 0.22, p = 0.04). Patients with more severe disease reported more intense pruritus.