title: Comparison of Gabapentin and Ketotifen in Treatment of Uremic Pruritus in Hemodialysis Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uremic pruritus is a common problem in hemodialysis patients. Several treatments have been used for decreasing itching in these patients. Gabapentin and ketotifen are two drugs used for treating uremic patients. The aim of this study was to compare gabapentin and ketotifen in treatment of uremic pruritus in hemodialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 52 hemodialysis patients with uremic pruritus referred to 5azarTeaching Hospital in Gorgan in 2013 were studied. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of 26 subjects (groups G and K). In group G, patients treated with gabapentin capsules 100 mg daily for 2 weeks, and in Group K, patients treated with ketotifen 1 mg twice daily for 2 weeks. Before and at the end of study, pruritus severity was determined based on Shiratori's severity scores. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS-21 statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant different between two groups in the age and sex. After two weeks of treatment, severity of pruritus was significantly reduced in both groups (88.4% in group G vs. 76.9% in group K). Gabapentin compared with ketotifen had a better effect on improving itching in the age group of 30-60 years and in males. 5 patients (19.2%) in both groups suffered from drowsiness and dizziness, but no serious side effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that gabapentin and ketotifen significantly improved pruritus in hemodialysis patients, and no significant difference was observed between two groups.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Saeid Amirkhanlou, MD, Assistant Professor, Nephrologist, Department of Internal Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Golestan, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amirkhanlou
authors.affiliation: Dr. Anna Rashedi, MD, Radiologist, Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Golestan, Iran.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashedi
authors.affiliation: Dr. Jalal Taherian, MD, General Practitioner, Department of Internal Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Golestan, Iran.
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taherian
authors.affiliation: Dr. Ali Akbar Hafezi, MD, General Practitioner, Department of Internal Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Golestan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hafezi
authors.affiliation: Sahar Parsaei, Medical Student, Department of Internal Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Golestan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parsaei
keywords: Gabapentin; Hemodialysis; Ketotifen; Uremic Pruritus