Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
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J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. · Sep 2016
ReviewGabapentin and pregabalin for the treatment of chronic pruritus.
Chronic pruritus is a distressing symptom that is often refractory to treatment. Patients frequently fail topical therapies and oral over-the-counter antihistamines, prompting the clinician to consider alternative therapies such as neuroactive agents. ⋯ The findings from original sources published to date to evaluate the use of gabapentin and pregabalin as antipruritic agents are explored. They are found to be promising alternative treatments for the relief of several forms of chronic pruritus, particularly uremic pruritus and neuropathic or neurogenic itch, in patients who fail conservative therapies.