Itchy skin is a common problem for many people with chronic kidney disease, even those not on dialysis, according to a study of 3,700 patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease who were not on dialysis.
It included people from the United States, Brazil, and France.
Nearly one quarter had bothersome itchy skin (pruritus). It was more common among older patients, women, those with more advanced kidney disease, and those with lung disease, diabetes, and depression.
Patients with itchy skin reported worse mental and physical quality of life. They were also more likely to have sleep problems and depression.
The more extreme their itching, the worse these problems were.
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