title: Intractable pruritus in patients with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: Intractable pruritus is one of the most common symptoms of chronic liver disease, especially experienced by patients with prolonged cholestasis. It can become the most distressing symptom in patients affected by chronic liver disease, causing a reduction in quality of life, interfering with daily activities, and leading to sleep deprivation or contributing to psychological disturbances up to suicide ideation. Therefore, pruritus that does not respond to medical therapy is an indication for liver transplantation. We treated nine patients with hepatitis C virus affected by intractable pruritus with the molecular adsorbent recirculating system. In each patient, liver function, renal function, and hemodynamic variables were evaluated before and after the treatment. Before undergoing the treatment each patient underwent abdominal ultrasound or computed tomography scan to exclude organic causes for pruritus. We observed a decrease in total bilirubin, creatinine, and bile acids together with a significant improvement in Visual Analog Scale for staging of pruritus in all the patients. Due to the small number of patients the results were not significant.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Predagostini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iappelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mennini
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Corradini
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Berloco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016060:Sorption Detoxification
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin