Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42608739›Full record

ArticleAlimentary pharmacology & therapeutics2026

Pruritus Is Frequent and Persistent and Impacts Quality of Life Among Patients With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Richard Dean, Maryam Yazdanfar, Joseph Zepeda, Isha J Patel, Cynthia Levy, Craig Lammert, Raghav Bordia, Duru Cosar, Katherine Specht, Daniel Pratt and 7 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

17 authors.

Richard DeanDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7438-8204
Maryam YazdanfarDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.
Joseph ZepedaDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0484-6762
Isha J PatelSchiff Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
Cynthia LevySchiff Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5498-6037
Craig LammertIndiana University, Indianapolis, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3809-640X
Raghav BordiaMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Duru CosarMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Katherine SpechtMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Daniel PrattMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7426-969X
Stuart C GordonDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henry Ford Health, Detroit MI, USA, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Lisa FormanUniversity of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA.
Fawzy BarryUniversity of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0712-5805
Michael LiUniversity of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0836-811X
Usha GungabissoonGSK, London, UK.
Megan M McLaughlinGSK, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA.
Christopher L BowlusDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3906-6811

Funding

GlaxoSmithKline 214524
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPruritus is a common and burdensome symptom in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

aimsTo determine the prevalence of pruritus in PSC, its clinical associations, and its impact on quality of life.

methodsPatients with PSC were assessed for pruritus using the Worst Itch Numerical Rating Scale (WI-NRS) and 5-D Itch scale, and for quality of life using SF-36 and PSC-PRO. Participants reporting moderate to severe pruritus (WI-NRS ≥ 4) within 6 months of enrollment completed longitudinal assessments for up to 6 months. Those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) completed the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (P-SCCAI).

resultsMedian age was 43 years, 61% were male and 75% had IBD. Moderate to severe itch over the prior 7 days was reported by 24%, increasing to 38% over the prior 6 months. Greater pruritus was associated with cirrhosis (p = 0.01), alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.0001), total bilirubin (p = 0.0006) and lower albumin (p = 0.01). Among patients with IBD, itch severity was associated with colitis activity (p = 0.01). Pruritus associated with impaired quality of life on the SF-36 (r

conclusionsPruritus is common, clinically meaningful and fluctuates over time in PSC. Its strong impact on quality-of-life underscores the need for standardized assessment and development of more effective therapies.

Indexed as

Cholangitis, SclerosingPruritusQuality of LifeAdultFemaleHumansInflammatory Bowel DiseasesLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSeverity of Illness IndexSurveys and QuestionnairesSymptom BurdenYoung Adultprimary sclerosing cholangitispruritusquality of life

Identifiers

PMID42608739

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

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.