Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41211949›Full record

ArticleActa dermato-venereologica2025

Chronic Pruritus in Older Adults: Prevalence, Associations, and Pruritus-specific Quality of Life.

Juliette F Bollemeijer, Mathijs R De Veer, Elke Weisshaar, Willem P Brouwer, Lies Lahousse, David A Gunn, Tamar E C Nijsten, Luba M Pardo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta dermato-venereologica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Juliette F BollemeijerDepartment of Dermatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Mathijs R De VeerDepartment of Dermatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, section Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Elke WeisshaarDivision of Occupational Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Willem P BrouwerDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Lies LahousseDepartment of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
David A GunnUnilever R&D at King's College London, 28th Floor, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London.
Tamar E C NijstenDepartment of Dermatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Luba M PardoDepartment of Dermatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. l.pardocortes@erasmusmc.nl.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic pruritus is a burdensome condition that frequently affects older adults, yet its epidemiology and impact on quality of life in the ageing population remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of chronic pruritus, its associated factors, and pruritus-specific quality of life in 4,474 participants (median age: 72 years; range: 48-99, 58.8% female) from the population-based Rotterdam Study. Questionnaires assessed current, 12-month, and lifetime chronic pruritus, along with the ItchyQoL. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with chronic pruritus, and linear regression assessed factors linked to pruritus-specific quality of life. Principal component analysis explored the ItchyQoL's dimensional structure in this older population. Chronic pruritus prevalence was 8.6% (current), 10.5% (12-month), and 18.6% (lifetime). Female sex, older age, smoking, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, self-reported dry skin, asthma, steatotic liver disease, polyneuropathy, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and poor sleep were associated with higher odds of chronic pruritus. Among those with current chronic pruritus, pruritus-specific quality of life was moderately impaired, with the greatest impairment associated with atopic dermatitis and psychological symptoms. Principal component analysis identified 4 ItchyQoL dimensions, extending beyond the original 3 domains. Given the cross-sectional design, directionality cannot be inferred. These findings highlight chronic pruritus as a prevalent, multifactorial condition in older adults, with significant psychological impact and implications for multidisciplinary management.

Indexed as

PruritusQuality of LifeAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsChronic DiseaseCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsPrevalenceRisk FactorsSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID41211949
PMCPMC12616547

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.