Prevalence of Itch and Pain in Patients with Mild to Moderate Chronic Venous Insufficiency at Parkland Memorial Hospital (2005)
March 2005
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Itch is a common symptom in patients with chronic venous insufficiency, often worsening with standing or sitting and occurring mostly in the evening or at night.
The document presents findings from a study on the prevalence of itch and pain in patients with mild to moderate chronic venous insufficiency. The study involved 100 patients (89 women and 11 men) with an average age of 46.7 years. It found that 69% of the patients experienced itch, with 47% also experiencing a burning sensation and 44% experiencing pain. The itch was most commonly felt on the anterior shin in 62% of the patients and was daily in occurrence. Skin xerosis was observed in 52% of the patients but was not correlated with the intensity of the itch. The itch was often aggravated by standing (57% of patients) and prolonged sitting (30% of patients), and it tended to worsen in the evening (51%) and at night (45%). The study concluded that itch is a common symptom of chronic venous insufficiency and should be recognized as a cause of localized itch in the lower extremities.
