Trial reportInternational urology and nephrology2015
Comparison of pregabalin with ondansetron in treatment of uraemic pruritus in dialysis patients: a prospective, randomized, double-blind study.
Trial report in International urology and nephrology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
42 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 100 citations in OpenAlex.
- European S2k Guideline on Chronic PruritusActa dermato-venereologica · 2025Guideline
- Pharmacological interventions for pruritus in adult palliative care patients.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Interventions for itch in people with advanced chronic kidney disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Pharmacological interventions for pruritus in adult palliative care patients.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- [Treatment of chronic itch in systemic disease. Current standards].Der Internist · 2015Guideline
- Gabapentin versus narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy versus combination of both in treatment of uremic pruritus.Archives of dermatological research · 2025Trial
- Effect of mirtazapine on pruritus in patients on hemodialysis: a cross-over pilot study.International urology and nephrology · 2020Trial
- Comparison of high-flux hemodialysis with hemodialysis filtration in treatment of uraemic pruritus: a randomized controlled trial.International urology and nephrology · 2016Trial
- Gabapentin Utilization and Adverse Effects Among US Hemodialysis Patients Diagnosed With Pruritus or Neuropathic Pain.Kidney medicine · 2026Article
- Uremic Pruritus in Hemodialysis: Mechanisms, Burden, and Emerging Therapies.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials on Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Analogues and Opioid-Based Therapies for CKD-Associated Pruritus.Kidney international reports · 2025Article
- Successful Use of Difelikefalin in Severe Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus in a Patient With Complex Etiological Contributors: A Case Report.Case reports in nephrology · 2025Article
- Article
- Model of Chronic Itch in Aged Mice: Beneficial Effects of Drugs Affecting Descending Modulatory Systems.Acta dermato-venereologica · 2024Article
- Identification and Management of CKD-Associated Pruritus: Current Insights.International journal of nephrology and renovascular disease · 2024Review
- Pathogenesis and Treatment of Pruritus Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease and Cholestasis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Uremic pruritus: pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatments.Kidney research and clinical practice · 2023Article
- Safety and Effectiveness of Difelikefalin in Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Pruritus Undergoing Hemodialysis: An Open-Label, Multicenter Study.Kidney medicine · 2022Article
- [Systemic pruritus: what is new in diagnosis and treatment?]Dermatologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2022Review
- Obstacles to Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Pruritus in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Current Perspectives.International journal of nephrology and renovascular disease · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimPruritus is common among patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis, and the pathogenesis can be explained by several mechanisms. However, there is no definite evidence supporting them, which limits the relative efficacy of any individual treatment option. In this paper, we aimed to compare pregabalin with ondansetron in treatment of uraemic pruritus (UP) in dialysis patients.
methodsIn this 12-week prospective, randomized, and double-blind trial, we assessed the efficacy and side effects in UP patients undergoing dialysis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 12 weeks of 75 mg twice-weekly pregabalin or 8 mg/day ondansetron or a placebo. Visits were scheduled at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment. The severity of pruritus was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale and modified Duo's VAG Scale. Quality of sleep was evaluated using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index. The effect of UP on health-related quality of life was assessed using the Chinese version of the 12-item short-form (SF-12) general health survey. Baseline laboratory data and demographic characteristics were recorded from patient charts.
resultsFinally, 179 (108 males, 71 females, aged 54.7±11.3 years old) out of the 188 patients completed the 12-week study. Of five patients who stopped pregabalin treatment due to side effects, two patients reported an improvement in nausea and vomiting among those receiving ondansetron. Two patients dropped out for renal transplantation. The 179 patients included 62 cases from the pregabalin group, 60 from the ondansetron group, and 57 from the placebo group. Over the 12 weeks, only pregabalin improved UP significantly. The severity of pruritus was reduced significantly in the pregabalin group compared with the ondansetron and the placebo groups. The final pruritus scores were not different between the ondansetron and the placebo groups. Pruritus absolutely disappeared in two patients following renal transplantation.
conclusionsPregabalin is an effective alternative for treatment of uraemic pruritus. Ondansetron has negligible effect on uremic pruritus and is expensive. A larger sample size may be needed to demonstrate the effect of ondansetron in uraemic pruritus.
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