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Rifampicin in opioid-induced itching
S Mercadante1, P Villari, F Fulfaro
1Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, La Maddalena Clinic for Cancer, Palermo, Italy. sebast.merc@tiscalinet.it
Summary
Rifampicin effectively treated severe pruritus in a palliative care patient experiencing opioid-induced itching. This suggests rifampicin may be a valuable option for managing refractory pruritus in similar cases.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Pruritus affects 5-12% of patients in palliative care.
- Cholestatic jaundice of malignancy often causes intractable pruritus.
- Rifampicin is a known treatment for malignant cholestatic pruritus.
Observation:
- A 65-year-old woman presented with severe pruritus following morphine treatment.
- Intravenous rifampicin (300 mg twice daily) was administered.
- The patient experienced successful pruritus relief.
Findings:
- Rifampicin demonstrated efficacy in managing opioid-induced pruritus.
- Discontinuation of rifampicin was possible after switching opioids.
- This case highlights a potential novel use for rifampicin.
Implications:
- Rifampicin may offer a treatment option for pruritus refractory to standard therapies.
- Further controlled clinical trials are needed to validate these findings.
- This observation could impact the management of pruritus in palliative care settings.