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Itching at night: A review on reducing nocturnal pruritus in children.

Pediatric dermatology
September 1, 2018
Emily Boozalis et al. (5 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral melatonin in reducing nocturnal itching or improving sleep quality in children with chronic nocturnal pruritus.

Results Summary

The study found that oral melatonin was effective in reducing nocturnal itching or improving sleep quality in children with nocturnal pruritus, based on randomized controlled trials and a case report.

Population

Children with chronic nocturnal pruritus (e.g., atopic dermatitis, psoriasis).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (6)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
topical corticosteroids
decrease
nocturnal itching
children with nocturnal pruritus
-
demonstrating the efficacy
#1
oral melatonin
decrease
nocturnal itching
children with nocturnal pruritus
-
demonstrating the efficacy
#2
clonidine
decrease
nocturnal itching
children with nocturnal pruritus
-
demonstrating the efficacy
#3
topical corticosteroids
increase
sleep quality
children with nocturnal pruritus
-
demonstrating the efficacy
#4
oral melatonin
increase
sleep quality
children with nocturnal pruritus
-
demonstrating the efficacy
#5
clonidine
increase
sleep quality
children with nocturnal pruritus
-
demonstrating the efficacy
#6
Abstract

The most common causes of chronic nocturnal itching in children are atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, with lichen simplex chronicus and prurigo nodularis contributing to lesser degrees. Despite the prevalence of nocturnal itching, its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. The most troubling consequence of itching at night is poor quality of sleep. Poor sleep quality in children with nocturnal itching has been linked to adverse neurocognitive, behavioral, and physiologic outcomes, including poor performance in school, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, short stature, hypertension, obesity, and impaired immune function. There is no consensus on the best management of nocturnal itching in children. We conducted a review of the literature evaluating the efficacy of various treatment options for children with chronic nocturnal pruritus. Our review found three recently conducted randomized controlled trials and one case report demonstrating the efficacy of topical corticosteroids, oral melatonin, and clonidine in reducing nocturnal itching or improving sleep quality in children with nocturnal pruritus. Future research is needed to elucidate the pathophysiology of nocturnal itching to best develop targeted, effective treatment strategies.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
ChildHumansPruritusSleep Wake Disorders
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations12
Citations/Year1.7
Relative Citation Ratio0.80
NIH Percentile42%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score2.05
Normalized Score0.66
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Itching at night: A review on reducing nocturnal pruritus in... | Panacea Index