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Contagious itch in humans: a study of visual 'transmission' of itch in atopic dermatitis and healthy subjects.

ABSTRACT: Anecdotal evidence suggests that 'contagious' itch occurs in daily life when we see other people itch and scratch. This phenomenon has not previously been studied systematically, and factors which can amplify itch perception were unknown.We investigated whether exposure to visual cues of itch can induce or intensify itch in healthy subjects and patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).Participants received histamine or a saline control delivered to the forearm and were asked to watch short video clips of people scratching. Spontaneous scratching induced by visual cues was monitored and analysed.Patients with AD reported a higher itch intensity and scratched more frequently while watching itch videos, even in the presence of mock itch stimuli.Human susceptibility to develop itch when exposed to visual cues is confirmed; it appears to be amplified in patients with AD. These findings suggest that interpersonal social cues can dramatically alter the subjective sensory experience of itch.

SUBMITTER: Papoiu AD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3110738 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Contagious itch in humans: a study of visual 'transmission' of itch in atopic dermatitis and healthy subjects.

Papoiu A D P AD Wang H H Coghill R C RC Chan Y-H YH Yosipovitch G G

The British journal of dermatology 20110517 6

<h4>Background</h4>Anecdotal evidence suggests that 'contagious' itch occurs in daily life when we see other people itch and scratch. This phenomenon has not previously been studied systematically, and factors which can amplify itch perception were unknown.<h4>Objectives</h4>We investigated whether exposure to visual cues of itch can induce or intensify itch in healthy subjects and patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).<h4>Methods</h4>Participants received histamine or a saline control delivered ...[more]

PMID: 21410682

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Project description:BackgroundPatients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibit heterogeneous clinical phenotypes, reflecting different combinations of itch and lesional severity. AD with severe itch but clear-moderate lesions, also known as itch-dominant AD, is a common clinical phenotype.ObjectivesTo evaluate abrocitinib efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe AD who have itch-dominant AD.MethodsThis post hoc analysis includes pooled data from clinical trials of patients with moderate-to-severe AD receiving abrocitinib (100 or 200 mg) as monotherapy (phase 2b; phase 3 JADE MONO-1 and JADE MONO-2) or in combination with topical therapy (phase 3 JADE COMPARE). Data from the ongoing long-term JADE EXTEND trial (data cutoff April 2020) were also evaluated. Itch-dominant AD was defined as baseline Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) score of 7-10 and Investigator's Global Assessment of 0-3 or Eczema Area and Severity Index of 0‒21. Assessments included a ≥4-point improvement in PP-NRS (PP-NRS4), PP-NRS score of 0 (no itch) or 1 (little itch) in patients with PP-NRS score ≥2 at baseline, ≥4-point improvement from baseline in Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM-4), Patient Global Assessment (PtGA) of clear or almost clear, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score of 0 or 1 (no impact or little impact of AD on quality of life [QoL]).ResultsIn the pooled monotherapy trials, 37% of patients had itch-dominant AD at baseline. As early as Week 2, more patients with itch-dominant AD achieved PP-NRS4 with abrocitinib 100 mg (35%) and abrocitinib 200 mg (57%) versus placebo (7%); 6% and 22% versus 0%, respectively, achieved PP-NRS 0/1. More patients achieved a PtGA of clear/almost clear at Week 12 with abrocitinib 100 mg (28%) and abrocitinib 200 mg (45%) than placebo (9%). Additionally, abrocitinib led to clinically meaningful improvements in POEM and DLQI. Most patients with itch-dominant AD experienced itch improvement over time with abrocitinib monotherapy or with concomitant topical therapy; 86%-87% and 62%-67% of patients had no itch-moderate itch and clear-moderate lesions by weeks 24 and 48, respectively.ConclusionsAbrocitinib is highly efficacious in patients with itch-dominant AD, demonstrating rapid, deep, and sustained improvements in itch and clinically meaningful improvements in patients' QoL.Trial registration numbersNCT02780167; NCT03349060; NCT03575871; NCT03720470; NCT03422822.

Dataset Information

Contagious itch in humans: a study of visual 'transmission' of itch in atopic dermatitis and healthy subjects.

Publications

Contagious itch in humans: a study of visual 'transmission' of itch in atopic dermatitis and healthy subjects.

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