Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients

Background. Although uremic pruritus is a common and upsetting problem of chronic kidney disease, there is no approved treatment for it. This study was undertaken to find the efficiency of sertraline as a possible treatment for uremic pruritus. Methods. 19 ESRD patients under hemodialysis with sev...

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Main Authors: Mansor Shakiba, Hoshang Sanadgol, Hamid Reza Azmoude, Mohamad Ali Mashhadi, Hassan Sharifi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:International Journal of Nephrology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/363901
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author Mansor Shakiba
Hoshang Sanadgol
Hamid Reza Azmoude
Mohamad Ali Mashhadi
Hassan Sharifi
author_facet Mansor Shakiba
Hoshang Sanadgol
Hamid Reza Azmoude
Mohamad Ali Mashhadi
Hassan Sharifi
author_sort Mansor Shakiba
collection DOAJ
description Background. Although uremic pruritus is a common and upsetting problem of chronic kidney disease, there is no approved treatment for it. This study was undertaken to find the efficiency of sertraline as a possible treatment for uremic pruritus. Methods. 19 ESRD patients under hemodialysis with severe chronic pruritus were randomly selected to participate in this before-after clinical trial. Before and after starting treatment with sertraline, a detailed pruritus history was obtained and pruritus graded by the 30-item inventory of pruritus that patients based on priorities grade allocated to 3 classes. Subjects were treated with sertraline 50 mg oral daily for four months, with monthly assessments of pruritus symptoms. Results. Before treatment with sertraline, the grade of pruritus in 9 (47.4%) patients was moderate and severe in 10 (52.6%) patients. After treatment, grade of pruritus in 11 (57.8%) patients was weak, 6 (31.5%) have moderate and only 2 (10.7%) patients have severe pruritus. Of 10 patients with severe pruritus, 5 (50%) patients experiencing weak pruritus, and 4 (40%) patients have moderate pruritus after treatment. Based on Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the difference between the grade of pruritus before and after treatment with sertraline was significant (P=0.001). Conclusions. Although no definitive recommendation can be made regarding treatment of uremic pruritus, we found an increased antipruritic effect of sertraline in ESRD patients.
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spelling doaj-art-d9fa9e4726084c2880f2e852d3446bc12025-08-20T03:24:25ZengWileyInternational Journal of Nephrology2090-214X2090-21582012-01-01201210.1155/2012/363901363901Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD PatientsMansor Shakiba0Hoshang Sanadgol1Hamid Reza Azmoude2Mohamad Ali Mashhadi3Hassan Sharifi4Department of Psychiatry, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan 98167-43463, IranDepartment of Nephrology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan 98167-43463, IranDepartment of Internal Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan 98167-43463, IranHematology/Oncology Ward, Department of Internal Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan 98167-43463, IranMedical Surgical Nursing, Departments of Nursing, Iranshahr School of Nursing and Midwifery, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr 9914786838, IranBackground. Although uremic pruritus is a common and upsetting problem of chronic kidney disease, there is no approved treatment for it. This study was undertaken to find the efficiency of sertraline as a possible treatment for uremic pruritus. Methods. 19 ESRD patients under hemodialysis with severe chronic pruritus were randomly selected to participate in this before-after clinical trial. Before and after starting treatment with sertraline, a detailed pruritus history was obtained and pruritus graded by the 30-item inventory of pruritus that patients based on priorities grade allocated to 3 classes. Subjects were treated with sertraline 50 mg oral daily for four months, with monthly assessments of pruritus symptoms. Results. Before treatment with sertraline, the grade of pruritus in 9 (47.4%) patients was moderate and severe in 10 (52.6%) patients. After treatment, grade of pruritus in 11 (57.8%) patients was weak, 6 (31.5%) have moderate and only 2 (10.7%) patients have severe pruritus. Of 10 patients with severe pruritus, 5 (50%) patients experiencing weak pruritus, and 4 (40%) patients have moderate pruritus after treatment. Based on Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the difference between the grade of pruritus before and after treatment with sertraline was significant (P=0.001). Conclusions. Although no definitive recommendation can be made regarding treatment of uremic pruritus, we found an increased antipruritic effect of sertraline in ESRD patients.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/363901
spellingShingle Mansor Shakiba
Hoshang Sanadgol
Hamid Reza Azmoude
Mohamad Ali Mashhadi
Hassan Sharifi
Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients
International Journal of Nephrology
title Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients
title_full Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients
title_fullStr Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients
title_short Effect of Sertraline on Uremic Pruritus Improvement in ESRD Patients
title_sort effect of sertraline on uremic pruritus improvement in esrd patients
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/363901
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AT hamidrezaazmoude effectofsertralineonuremicpruritusimprovementinesrdpatients
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