Etiological and Clinical Evaluation of Elderly Patients with Pruritus: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Analysis of 700 Patients

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 47 Sayı: 2, 233 - 243, 27.02.2025

Özge Zorlu , Umut Günal , Hülya Albayrak , Sema Aytekin

Öz

Pruritus is one of the most common symptoms in the elderly. It can be associated with dermatological, systemic, neurological, or psychogenic disorders. Identifing the underlying origin and appropriate management of patients are important due to its negative impact on quality of life. We aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical features, etiologies, laboratory work-up, and management of elderly patients with pruritus. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with pruritus aged ≥ 65 years who attended our outpatient clinic between January 2014 and June 2024. Etiological origins were categorized as dermatological, systemic, neurologic, psychogenic, drug-associated, or mixed. A total of 700 patients were included. Pruritus began between the ages of 65-75 years in 69%. Of the patients, 140 (20%) had acute and 560 (80%) had chronic pruritus. Pruritus was localized in 299 (42.7%) and generalized in 401 (57.3%) patients. The trunk, upper and lower extremities were the most common sites of pruritus. The most common causes of pruritus were dermatological (83.6%), followed by systemic (5.6%) and psychogenic (5.1%) origins. The most common dermatological cause of acute pruritus was scabies (20.5%), whereas chronic pruritus was xerosis (32.9%). Chronic renal failure was the leading systemic cause in both acute and chronic pruritus (30% and 42.5%, respectively). In conclusion, the demographics, clinical, and etiological factors of pruritus in the elderly can differ according to the geographic region, sample size, age groups, socioeconomics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Each patient must be examined and treated individually.

Anahtar Kelimeler

pruritus, geriatric, elderly, prurigo

Prurituslu Yaşlı Hastaların Etiyolojik ve Klinik Olarak Değerlendirmesi: 700 Hastanın Retrospektif Kesitsel Bir Analizi

Öz

Pruritus yaşlılarda en sık görülen semptomlardan biridir. Dermatolojik, sistemik, nörolojik veya psikojenik bozukluklarla ilişkili olabilir. Yaşam kalitesi üzerindeki olumsuz etkisi nedeniyle, altta yatan nedenin belirlenmesi ve hastaların uygun şekilde tedavi edilmesi önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, pruritusu olan yaşlı hastaların demografik ve klinik özelliklerini, etyolojilerini, laboratuvar çalışmalarını ve tedavilerini araştırmayı amaçladık. Ocak 2014 ile Haziran 2024 arasında polikliniğimize başvuran ≥ 65 yaş prurituslu hastalar üzerinde retrospektif kesitsel bir çalışma yürütüldü. Etiyolojik faktörler; dermatolojik, sistemik, nörolojik, psikojenik, ilaç ilişkili veya mikst olarak kategorize edildi. Toplam 700 hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi. Pruritus hastaların %69'unda 65-75 yaşları arasında başlamıştı. Hastaların 140'ında (%20) akut, 560'ında (%80) kronik pruritus vardı. Pruritus 299 (%42,7) hastada lokalize iken 401 (%57,3) hastada jeneralizeydi. Gövde, üst ve alt ekstremiteler pruritusun en sık görülen yerleriydi. Pruritusun en sık görülen nedenleri dermatolojik (%83,6) iken, bunu sistemik (%5,6) ve psikojenik (%5,1) nedenler izliyordu. Akut pruritusun en sık görülen dermatolojik nedeni skabiyez (%20,5) iken, kronik pruritusta kserozis (%32,9) idi. Kronik böbrek yetmezliği hem akut hem de kronik pruritusta en sık sistemik nedendi (%30 ve %42,5). Sonuç olarak, yaşlılarda pruritusun demografik, klinik ve etiyolojik faktörleri coğrafi bölgeye, örneklem büyüklüğüne, yaş gruplarına, sosyoekonomiye, yaşam tarzına ve çevresel faktörlere göre farklılık gösterebilir. Her hasta, bireysel olarak değerlendirilmeli ve tedavi edilmelidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

pruritus, geriatrik, yaşlılık, prurigo

Kaynakça

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