Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Aug;38(4):689-693.
doi: 10.5114/ada.2021.108906. Epub 2021 Sep 17.

Assessment of the anxiety and depression among patients with idiopathic pruritus ani

Karolina Hadasik  1 , Hubert Arasiewicz  1 , Ligia Brzezińska-Wcisło  1
Affiliations

Assessment of the anxiety and depression among patients with idiopathic pruritus ani

Karolina Hadasik et al. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Introduction: Pruritus ani is an unpleasant sensation that leads to scratching of the skin around the anus. It is a common symptom due to many systemic, dermatological, and proctological conditions. In the absence of evident organic origin of a disease, pruritus may be related to mental disorders as well as personality disorders.

Aim: To assess the influence of pruritus on anxiety and depression in these patients.

Material and methods: The study involved 60 patients complaining of persistent pruritus ani. The study included people in which pruritus for organic reasons was ruled out. Tests were carried out to assess the level of depression and anxiety disorders. In addition, patients were asked to fill in the Questionnaire for the Descriptive Assessment of Pruritus and the 4-Item Itch Questionnaire by prof. Jacek Szepietowski.

Results: The cause of pruritus ani in the study groups has been shown to have a significant influence on the level of depressive symptoms. There was no such relationship for anxiety disorders. In the study group, there was no correlation of depressive-anxiety symptoms with the level of pruritus intensity and the frequency of pruritus.

Conclusions: The presented data reveal the negative effect of pruritus ani on the psychological functioning of patients. Pruritus ani is characterized by moderate intensity of pruritus, but has a significant influence on the aggravation of depressive symptoms. It is important to look for the causes of this symptom, which can help to eliminate its intensity, improve the patients' mood, and thus improve their quality of life.

Keywords: anxiety-depressive disorders; pruritus ani; psychogenic pruritus.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. Markell KW, Billingham RP. Pruritus ani:etiology and management. Surg Clin North Am. 2010;90:125–35. - PubMed
    1. Hanno R, Murphy P. Pruritus ani. Classification and management. Dermatol Clin. 1987;5:811–6. - PubMed
    1. Dasan S, Neill SM, Donaldson DR, et al. Treatment of persistent pruritus ani in a combined colorectal and dermatological clinic. Br J Surg. 1999;86:1337–40. - PubMed
    1. Fornasa C, Trento A, Bezze G. Pruritus ani: aetiologic and causative factors in 94 adult patients. Pelviperineology. 2007;26:178–9.
    1. Misery L, Alexandre S, Dutray S, et al. Functional itch disorder or psychogenic pruritus: suggested diagnosis criteria from French psychodermatology group. Acta Derm Venereol. 2007;87:341–4. - PubMed