Table 3.
IFSI (International Forum for the Study of Itch) guideline on the diagnostic criteria for chronic prurigo. The three major criteria are necessary to establish the diagnosis of chronic prurigo. Minor criteria are often present but not mandatory.16
| Major criteria | ||
|---|---|---|
| (i) Chronic pruritus (≥ 6 weeks); | ||
| (ii) History and/or signs of repeated pruritus; | ||
| (iii) Presence of multiple localized or generalized pruritic lesionsa | ||
| Associated criteria: | (i) Clinical signs | Pruritic lesions: symmetrically distributed, rarely affecting the face and palms |
| Signs of scratching: excoriation, scars, lichenification | ||
| (ii) Diversity of clinical manifestations | Papular type | |
| Nodular type | ||
| Plaque type | ||
| Umbilicated type | ||
| Linear type | ||
| (iii) Symptoms | Usually pruritic lesions develop after the onset of pruritus | |
| Quality: pruritus, burning, pain or stinging | ||
| Signs of chronicity: great intensity of pruritus, allokinesis, hyperkinesia, continuous increase in the number of lesions | ||
| Impaired quality of life, loss of sleep, days of absenteeism from work and/or obsessive-compulsive behavior | ||
| (iv) Emotions | Depression | |
| Anxiety | ||
| Anger | ||
| Disgust | ||
| Shame | ||
| Hopelessness | ||
a
Definition of pruritic lesions: excoriated papules and/or nodules and/or desquamative and crusted plaques, often with a whitish or pink center and hyperpigmented border.