title: Pruritus of unknown origin: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pruritus of unknown origin is a common complaint, and systemic causes must be considered. However, there is little data on how frequently systemic causes are responsible or whether any patient characteristics make a systemic cause more likely.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We attempted to determine how frequently pruritus of unknown origin had a systemic etiology in an outpatient population seen in a university dermatology department and whether any patient characteristics made a systemic explanation more likely.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study using chart reviews and telephone interviews to collect data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 50 patients, 11 had a systemic cause of pruritus. Pruritus was the initial symptom of systemic disease in 7 of these patients. No patient characteristics were statistically associated with systemic causes of pruritus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pruritus of unknown origin was the initial symptom of a systemic disease in 7 of 50 patients presenting to a dermatology clinic with this complaint. The underlying diseases included hypothyroidism, gastric adenocarcinoma, hepatitis C, HIV, laryngeal carcinoma, graft-versus-host disease, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zirwas
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Seraly
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications