Table 2.

Treatments for post-burn pruritus.

Type	Treatment	Mechanism	Reference	Methods	Main results
Topical	Moisturizer & Cooling agents	Softening the stratum corneum and restoring the barrier function	No established study	No established study	No established study
	Dapsone	Anti-inflammatory effects	Bauling et al. [51]	Observational study (n = 8) Topically administered for 14 days	Significant relief of itch to 5 patients
	Colloidal oatmeal	Formation of an occlusive barrier and maintenance of hydration and pH	Matheson et al. [52]	Cohort study (study 17, control 17) 5% colloidal oatmeal + liquid paraffin vs liquid paraffin bath and moisturizer	Decrease in itch and antihistamine usage in the colloidal oatmeal group
	Eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA)	Analgesic effects	Kopecky et al. [54]	Observational study (n = 5) EMLA is applied for 1 h or 2 h.	Decreased mean number of pruritic episodes and needed medication
	Doxepin	High potent blocking properties to histamine receptor	Demling et al. [58]	Case-control study (n = 41) Doxepin + moisturizer vs moisturizer + antihistamine	Significant reduction in itch and erythema
Systemic	Antihistamine	Reducing the effect of histamine	Baker et al. [63]	Randomized double-blinded, placebo controlled study (n = 32) Cetirizine + cimetidine vs Diphenhydramine + placebo	Improvement and moderate impact in cetirizine + cimetidine group compared to diphenhydramine + placebo group
	Opioid	Not proved yet.	Jung et al. [66]	Case series (n = 15) Naltrexone was applied to all patients for 2 weeks	Decrease in the severity of itching
	Ondansetron	Decrease in the stimulation of C-fibers induced by serotonin	Gross et al. [68]	Randomized double-blinded study (n = 17) 4mg Ondansetron vs 25mg diphenhydramine	Better decrease in the severity of itching than antihistamine
	Gabapentin	Based on the similarity of neuropathic pain and itch	Mendham et al. [71]	Observational study (n = 35) Gabapentin was applied to patients 5mg/kg or above (max 10mg/kg/day).	Decrease in the need of antihistamine within 24 h.
Physical	Pressure therapy	Controlling the collagen synthesis by limiting the oxygen and nutrients	Leung et al. [81]	Observational study (n = 100) Pressure garment was applied for an average of 10 months.	The assessment of itch was satisfactory to most of patients.
	Massage therapy	Moisturizing skin, increasing vagal activity, and reducing circulating stress hormones	Field et al. [84]	Experimental study (study 10, control 10) Standard treatment + massage vs standard treatment	More decrease in pruritus, pain, and anxiety than control (p < 0.001)