title: Cutaneous mast cell quantity in pruritic and nonpruritic hemodialysis patients.
abstract: Pruritus remains a significant complication of end-stage renal disease. Its cause in hemodialysis patients is not known. It has been postulated that increased numbers of mast cells occur in these patients and may account for the presence of pruritus. Our objective was to determine if there is a difference in the number of cutaneous mast cells between pruritic and nonpruritic patients. A 3-mm punch biopsy specimen was obtained from pruritic (n = 7) and nonpruritic (n = 6) hemodialysis patients. We observed no significant difference in the quantity of cutaneous mast cells in pruritic and nonpruritic hemodialysis patients. We conclude that the etiology of pruritus in hemodialysis patients is not related to an increase in the number of cutaneous mast cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hanno
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Callen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008415:Mastocytosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A