title: The impact of pruritus on quality of life: the skin equivalent of pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the impact of chronic pruritus and chronic pain on quality of life (QoL) using directly elicited health utility scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of patients attending the Emory Dermatology Clinic, Emory Spine Center, and Emory Center for Pain Management, Atlanta, Georgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult men and women (aged ≥ 18 years) experiencing chronic pain or pruritus for 6 weeks or more.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mean utility score of patients with chronic pruritus was compared with that of patients with chronic pain. A regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of the primary predictor variable-symptom type-on the primary outcome variable-mean utility score (a metric representing the impact on QoL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 73 patients with chronic pruritus and 138 patients with chronic pain. The mean (SD) utility among patients with pruritus was 0.87 (0.27) compared with 0.77 (0.31) for patients with pain (P < .01). After symptom severity, duration, and demographic factors were controlled for, only symptom severity (0.03 [P < .05]) and single marital status (-0.12 [P = .02]), but not symptom type (P = .43), remained significant predictors of the mean symptom utility score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic pruritus has a substantial impact on QoL, one that may be comparable to that of pain. The severity of symptoms and the use of support networks are the main factors that determine the degree to which patients are affected by their symptoms. Addressing support networks in addition to developing new therapies may improve the QoL of itchy patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Clinic, Bldg A, 1365 Clifton Rd NE, Ste 1100, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. schen2@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Seema P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kini
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: DeLong
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Veledar
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McKenzie-Brown
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaufele
authors.forename: Suephy C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult