Read more about this disease, some with Classification – Types – Signs and symptoms – Genetics – Pathophysiology – Diagnosis – Screening – Prevention – Treatment and management – Cures and much more, some including pictures and video when available.
Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a skin disease characterised by pruritic (itchy) nodules which usually appear on the arms or legs. Patients often present with multiple excoriated lesions caused by scratching. PN is also known as Hyde prurigo nodularis, Picker nodules, lichen simplex chronicus, atypical nodular form of neurodermatitis circumscripta, lichen corneus obtusus.
The cause of prurigo nodularis is unknown, although other conditions may induce PN. PN has been linked to Becker’s nevus,[1] linear IgA disease, an autoimmune condition,[2] and T cells.[3] Systemic pruritus has been linked to cholestasis, thyroid disease, polycythaemia rubra vera, uraemia, Hodgkins disease, HIV and other immunodeficiency diseases.[4][5] Internal malignancies, liver failure, renal failure, and psychiatric illnesses may induce PN, although more recent research has refuted a psychiatric cause for PN. Patients report an ongoing battle to distinguish themselves from those with psychiatric disorders such as delusions of parasitosis and other psychiatric conditions.[6][7]
Chronic and repetitive scratching, picking, or rubbing of the nodules may result in permanent changes to the skin, including nodular lichenification, hyperkeratosis, hyperpigmentation, and skin thickening. Unhealed, excoriated lesions are often scaly, crusted or scabbed. Many patients report a lack of wound healing even when medications relieve the itching and subsequent scratching.
Patients often:
Diagnosis is based on visual examination and the presence of itching. A skin biopsy is often performed to exclude other diseases. Lesion biopsies will typically show a high level of eosinophils in PN.[8] A culture of at least one lesion will rule out staphylococcus infection, which has been significantly linked to atopic dermatitis.[9] [10][11]
[tubepress mode=’tag’, tagValue=’Prurigo nodularis’]