Itching following burns: epidemiology and predictors.

Area of Science:

• Burn scar management
• Dermatology
• Psychotraumatology

Background:

• Post-burn itching (pruritus) is a prevalent issue with limited long-term prospective data.
• Risk factors for chronic itching post-burn are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and predictors of self-reported itching at 3, 12, and 24 months post-burn in a multicenter adult cohort.
• To examine the relationship between psychological factors, injury characteristics, and itching over time.

Main Methods:

• Prospective longitudinal cohort study involving 510 adult burn survivors.
• Itching assessed via a self-report scar complaint list.
• Linear regression models used to identify predictors including injury characteristics and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Main Results:

• High prevalence of itching: 87% at 3 months, 70% at 12 months, and 67% at 24 months.
• Significant predictors of itching at all time points included deep dermal injury and early post-traumatic stress symptoms.
• Burned surface area and female gender predicted itching at 3 months.

Conclusions:

• Itching is a persistent problem for burn survivors up to two years post-injury.
• Surgical interventions and early post-traumatic distress increase the likelihood of long-term itching.
• Findings highlight the need for improved clinical practice and further research into burn pruritus management.