Buprenorphine and hepatic pruritus.
Pruritus in cholestatic liver disease can be difficult to treat. It may be related to impaired excretion of large opioid peptides. Buprenorphine, a drug with partial opiate antagonist properties, was used in a double-blind trial of five patients with uncontrollable itching. One patient improved clinically, one patient had good relief from pruritus and three had intolerable side-effects. Buprenorphine may be of limited use in intractable pruritus.
Academic Unit of Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds.
L D
LD
Juby
V S
VS
Wong
M S
MS
Losowsky
D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D002047:Buprenorphine