title: Use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for chronic pruritus.
abstract: Pruritus is a distressing symptom in many dermatological as well as systemic conditions, and it is sometimes very chronic and relapsing. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an inexpensive form of analgesia that could also ameliorate itching. This study aimed to evaluate TENS efficacy in patients with pruritus due to some types of chronic eczema, and in patients with chronic hepatic disease. Ten patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), 20 patients with lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), and 16 patients with chronic liver disease having chronic distressing pruritus received three sessions of TENS weekly for 12 sessions, and the effect on the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores was recorded after 2 weeks of therapy, at treatment end, and after an additional month for follow up. There was a statistically significant decline in the mean VAS score for studied groups at weeks 2 and 4 of therapy compared to baseline, but the improvement was more significant in patients with AD, and LSC (p < 0.001 for both) than in those with chronic liver disease (p < 0.01) who also showed an early re-elevation of VAS score on follow up. TENS therapy holds promise as a palliative, alternative, safe and inexpensive treatment for patients with some chronic pruritic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology and Venereology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University.
authors.forename: Basma Mourad
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mohammad Ali
authors.affiliation: Dermatology and Venereology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University.
authors.forename: Doaa Salah
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hegab
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine, Rheumatology & Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hanan Mohammad
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: El Saadany
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009450:Neurodermatitis / Q000150:complications; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D064232:Visual Analog Scale; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: chronic; pruritus; transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation