Abstract
Pruritus is a common dermatological condition observed in patients with diabetes, making it a dermatometabolic condition. Being multiaethiological, pruritis is caused by autoimmune, genetic, infectious and various systemic diseases. The present survey aimed to understand the knowledge, attitude and practice toward pruritus among Indian physicians and patients with diabetes presenting with pruritus. A telephonic, cross-sectional, qualitative survey was conducted among physicians and patients across five cities in India from July–August 2020. An open-ended discussion guide was used for the interview; the data were analyzed to check for common themes and trends. A majority of the consulting physicians (CPs) believed that uncontrolled diabetes is the main causal factor for pruritus in patients with diabetes and reported that currently there are no standard tests or treatment guidelines for its management. CPs emphasized proper monitoring and counseling to overcome current challenges. Patients reported a negative impact of pruritus on their daily activities and quality of life. The survey concluded that poor management of diabetes is one of the main causal factors for patients with diabetes presenting with pruritus in India. CPs emphasized controlling diabetes along with symptomatic treatment. For patients, pruritus has multifaceted effects on their health, overall well-being, and quality of life.
Highlights
Pruritus or itching is a common dermatological condition characterized by an unpleasant sensation of the skin that provokes the urge to scratch [1]
Treatment is recommended for chronic pruritus; the treatment choice has a multifaceted approach, with importance given to providing symptomatic relief to the patient and treating the underlying cause for pruritus [17,19]
The survey concluded that Indian physicians perceived poor management of diabetes as a primary cause of pruritus along with lack of proper hygiene and stress
Summary
Pruritus or itching is a common dermatological condition characterized by an unpleasant sensation of the skin that provokes the urge to scratch [1]. It is caused by a variety of dermatological diseases ranging from autoimmune, genetic, and infectious to various systemic diseases such as endocrine and metabolic disorders, neoplastic and hematological disorders, pregnancy, and a few medications [2]. Underlying pathophysiology, comorbidities and medications predispose patients with diabetes to develop pruritus [5]. Pruritus associated with diabetes can be considered a dermatometabolic condition and is often localized rather than generalized [4,6,11,12]. Psoriasis is determined with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Itchvisual analogue scheme, the Dermatology Quality of Life Index, and Psoriasis Area Severity
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