title: Postprandial blood glucose is associated with generalized pruritus in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although pruritus is a common complaint in patients with diabetes, little is known about its relation with glycemic control.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether generalized pruritus is associated with glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 385 patients with type 2 diabetes who attended the diabetes care system underwent cutaneous examination by a dermatologist at a teaching hospital in Taiwan. A detailed interview questionnaire including visual analogue scale was used to assess various characteristics and the intensity of pruritus. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between postprandial blood glucose, preprandial blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin with generalized pruritus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Generalized pruritus was noted in 27.5% of the patients. As a result of pruritus, 24.5% of the patients had difficulties in falling asleep, 15.1% had disturbance of sleep, and 9.5% needed soporifics. Patients who had a higher postprandial glucose level had a higher probability of having generalized pruritus [OR = 1.41 (95% C.I.: 1.05-1.90), P = 0.02] in type 2 diabetic patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed positive associations between postprandial blood glucose and generalized pruritus and suggested that a better control of postprandial glucose might be beneficial to relieve generalized pruritus in diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ren-ai Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Hsien-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Shiou-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Fu-Chang
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chin-Hsiao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period; D011537:Pruritus / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin
keywords: diabetes mellitus; glycemic control; hyperglycemia; itching; pruritus