Little attention is paid to the treatment of itching in epidermolysis bullosa MedNet

One of the most serious symptoms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is itching. But little attention is paid to this in clinical studies, researchers from the UMC Groningen conclude in a systematic review. This makes it difficult to prescribe effective antipruritic treatments for EB patients.

The researchers conducted a systematic literature review on March 29, 2022 for studies reporting on patients with EB who were treated for pruritus. Of the 3,099 articles screened, 21 studies met the criteria, including 353 patients diagnosed with retrograde dystrophic EB.

Only 2 studies assessed itch as a primary endpoint, 1 of which showed significant relief of self-reported itch with topical skin care. In the 19 studies that assessed itching as a secondary endpoint, only 36.8% of studies showed a statistically significant reduction in itching of up to 42%. Methodological limitations were often cited as reasons for low treatment efficacy.

The authors state that the limited quality of the available data makes it difficult to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for pruritus in EB. Large, randomized clinical trials and more personalized approaches are needed to develop evidence-based treatment strategies for EB-related itch.

Source:

Welponer T, Puttinger C, Korte EWH, et al. A systematic review of antipruritic treatments for patients with Epidermolysis bullosa. J Dermatol Treat. 2024; 35: 238 1762.