Acta dermato-venereologica
-
Acta Derm. Venereol. · Jan 2018
Comparative Study Observational StudyBrachioradial Pruritus and Notalgia Paraesthetica: A Comparative Observational Study of Clinical Presentation and Morphological Pathologies.
Brachioradial pruritus (BRP) and notalgia paraesthetica (NP) represent 2 of the most common neuropathic itch syndromes. A total of 58 consecutive patients presenting at the Center for Chronic Pruritus, University Hospital Münster, were analysed with regard to clinical presentation, anatomical and morphological pathologies, impairment in quality of life, and response to treatment with topical capsaicin. ⋯ In addition, intraepidermal nerve fibre density was decreased in lesional skin in patients with BRP, but not in those with NP, confirming the neuropathic origin in BRP. Topical capsaicin resulted in a significantly higher alleviation of itch and pain intensity and improvement in quality of life in patients with BRP compared with those with NP, which may reflect clinical and aetiological differences between the conditions.