Epidemiology of Chronic Pruritus: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

Between 23 and 44 million Americans are estimated to suffer from chronic pruritus in the setting of both cutaneous and systemic conditions. Patients with chronic pruritus suffer extreme detriment to their ability to function, including but not limited to deranged sleep patterns, mood disturbances, increased levels of anxiety and depression, and reduced levels of overall quality of life. Indeed, chronic pruritus is now known to be as debilitating as chronic pain. For these reasons, chronic pruritus represents a serious public health concern that must be adequately addressed by clinicians. We present an up-to-date summary of the epidemiology of chronic itch in different cutaneous and systemic conditions. While we have endeavored to discuss some of the most common causes of chronic pruritus, this review does not encompass all of the myriad different diseases in which chronic pruritus can occur