Evaluation of different therapeutic regimens for the treatment of uremic pruritus

ABSTRACT

115 uremic patients [72 males and 43 females] undergoing hemodialysis in 3 different dialysis units during the period December 1992-March 1994, and suffering from severe pruritus, were selected for the present study. The ages of the patients ranged from 28 to 57 years [mean age 39.5 years +/- SD 8.34]. They were randomly distributed in 4 therapeutic regimens Activated charcoal, cholestyramine resin, ultraviolet light B [UV B] and erythropoietin [EPO]. Thirty patients who received only oral antihistaminic [loratadine 10 mg] and a topical antipruritic [menthol 0.6, paraffin oil 1.2 and cold cream to 120] for their pruritus served as control. The results showed that the highest response was with UV B 86.36% followed by EPO [85.71%], followed by activated charcoal [72.73%]; the weakest response being with cholestyramine resin [60%]. The response in the control group was 13.33%. It is possible that further studies in the near future may show that combined therapy using two or three of the above therapeutic regimens may even yield higher percentage of response