Prevalence of itching in patients with dermatoses and skin neoplasms: results of a cross-sectional continuous observational multicenter study

The relevance of the study is due to the limited number of epidemiological studies on skin lesions and the lack of comparative studies on dermatoses and skin neoplasms.

Objective To assess the prevalence and low scoring characteristics in patients with dermatoses and skin neoplasms.

Methods.A single-stage, continuous, uncontrolled cross-sectionalstudy was conducted on the basis of threeoutpatientdermatologicalclinics.Aclinicaldermatologicalexaminationand a questionnaire were conducted. The prevalence of itching was investigatedbyaskingabout the presence of itchingduring the lastday, and the duration of itching was recorded for moreorless than 6weeks(chronicoracuteitching). The intensity of itching was assessedusing a numericalitchratingscale(CRS)with a scorefrom0to10.

Results.Thestudysampleincluded1,788patients(533men(29.8%), with an averageage of 45.31years(±17.3years).Patientswithacne(8.1%),psoriasis(7.4%),dermatitiscaused by substancesingested(6.5%), and atopicdermatitis(5.7%)prevailedamongpatientswithdermatoses.Among the skinneoplasms, melanoform nevi(25.8%),seborrheickeratosis(7.9%),melanoma(6.4%),othermalignantskinneoplasms(4.2%), and otherbenignskinneoplasms(2%) were most oftenrecorded.In the combinedsample,includingdermatosesandneoplasms, itching was detected in 29.9%(acuteitching in 58.4%,chronic itching in 40.6%;itchingintensityaccording to VAS:averageitchingindex4.12(standard deviation2.34),median4.0(percentiles[25;75]2:6).Itching was more commonindermatoses(34.2%)thaninskinneoplasms(7.2%)(p<0.001), there were no differencesinacuteandchronicitching, acuteorchronicindermatosesandneoplasms.Theintensity of itching in patientswithdermatoseswassignificantlyhigherthanin the groupwithskinneoplasms(p<0.001). Patients with andwithoutitching were compared: no genderdifferenceswerefound(p=0.133),patientswithitchingwereolder(meanage47.3yearsand44.8years, respectively,p=0.024).Acuteitching was more common than chronic(58.4%versus41.6%),and was more oftenaccompanied by dermatosesthanneoplasms(34.2%versus7.2%).Whencomparing the characteristics of itching in menandwomen, no differenceswerefound.

Conclusion. A high prevalence of itching in dermatoses was confirmed, and the rates were quite high in traditionally classified non-itchy skin diseases (acne, psoriasis). In skin neoplasms, the prevalence of itching was higher in malignant tumors (more often in skin melanoma), the greatest intensity of itching was recorded in nevi. At the same time, it has been shown that this symptom is not specific to malignant tumors.