title: Gabapentin and pregabalin for the treatment of chronic pruritus.
abstract: Chronic pruritus is a distressing symptom that is often refractory to treatment. Patients frequently fail topical therapies and oral over-the-counter antihistamines, prompting the clinician to consider alternative therapies such as neuroactive agents. Herein, the use of gabapentin and pregabalin, 2 medications well known for treating neuropathic pain and epilepsy that are occasionally used for relieving chronic pruritus is explored. The findings from original sources published to date to evaluate the use of gabapentin and pregabalin as antipruritic agents are explored. They are found to be promising alternative treatments for the relief of several forms of chronic pruritus, particularly uremic pruritus and neuropathic or neurogenic itch, in patients who fail conservative therapies.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuki M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland Medical Center and Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Ariel R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Schonfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: skwatra1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Shawn G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kwatra
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000069583:Pregabalin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin
keywords: gabapentin; itch; neurogenic itch; neuropathic itch; pregabalin; pruritus; uremic pruritus