PRURITUS IN SYSTEMIC DISEASES

Abstract

Although itching is usually produced by loc<U skin disease and relieved by local theraby, It is occasionally associated with systemic disease, and may be a symptom of diagnostic importance . Clinical and laboratory studies may till something of the patient and his disease , but not necessarily why he itches . In most instances , pruritus is still assessed and treated in terms of the tissue and blood reflection of a disease process , and not in term of pruritogenic reaction.

It is assumed that it has been possible , by history and examination , to exclude patients with pruritus of local cutaneous causes and patients with generalized pruritus of systemic cuses witch may be classified in to uremic , cholestatic , pruritus in hodgkin's disease, polycythemia vera, hyper and hypothyroidism, systemic carcinoma, diabetes mellitus , carcinoid syndrome, elderly, aquagenic , infectious diseases , pregnancy and drugs .

In almost all instances it is possible , by careful history and physical examination, to establish the diagnosis of the systemic disease responsible for the pruritus. The general appearance of the patient and a careful documentation of his symptoms and the changes in his life usually tend to support or deny a • significant basis for further investigation . when someone complains of generalized pruritus without evident eruption, it is all too easy small investment of the physician's time can save a large investment of the patient's money in diagnostic laboratory tests.