The Impact and Management of Pruritus

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) affects up to 80% of patients on haemodialysis and is associated with poorer health outcomes and quality of life. There are relatively few guidelines for management of CKD-aP, with strongest evidence for kappa opioid agonist difelikefalin (DFK), more moderate evidence for gabapentinoids, and conflicting evidence for the optimisation of calcium homeostasis and inflammation. This service evaluation examined the quality-of-life impact and management of CKD-aP in patients attending outpatient haemodialysis (HD) at a satellite unit in East London.