Background: Itch is a symptom with significant physical, psychological, and financial burden worldwide. Symptom-specific and demographic risk factors have been published although community-level risk factors have not been thoroughly studied. Objectives: To describe the epidemiological risk factors of itch and to present a hypothesis that can account for these trends. Materials and methods: Itch incidence, prevalence, and years lost to disability (YLD) by age, sex, world region, socio-demographic index, percent of population using basic sanitation services, mortality due to air pollution, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were obtained from the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Global Burden of Disease (GBD), World Health Organization Global Health Observatory (WHO GHO), and Worldometer databases. Linear regression models were utilized to analyze the relationship of sanitation, air pollution, and GDP with itch incidence, prevalence and YLD. Results: Female sex and age were positively associated with higher incidence of itch. The percent of population using basic sanitation services was also positively correlated with itch incidence, prevalence, and YLD (P<0.001). Mortality rate due to air pollution was negatively associated with itch incidence, prevalence, and YLD (P<0.001). However, GDP per capita was not associated with the incidence (P=0.5), prevalence (P=0.8), and YLD (P=0.7) of itch. Conclusions: The “hygiene hypothesis” might explain global trends of itch as more industrialized countries have higher itch incidence rates. Thus, approaches which target molecular pathways involved in the “hygiene hypothesis” may lead to a decreased global itch burden.
Certain protein kinase inhibitors have been reported to cause photosensitivity. Avapritinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that was approved in January 2020. The aim of this analysis was to determine if a statistically significant signal exists between Avapritinib and photosensitivity in the real-world population. A disproportionality analysis was conducted using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. A literature review was also performed to identify case reports of Avapritinib-induced photosensitivity. A total of 13 adverse event reports with Avapritinib as the drug and photosensitivity as the reaction were identified in FAERS. Avapritinib was the suspect drug in all 13 reports, and in 12 of the 13 reports, Avapritinib was the only drug listed. Disproportionality analysis found a proportional reporting ratio of 11.0, χ21=107, reporting odds ratio of 11.0, and a lower limit of the 95% CI of the information component of 2.1. The literature review found 1 case report of Avapritinib-induced photosensitivity in a patient who had been taking Avapritinib 300 mg daily for 5 months. A statistically significant signal was found between Avapritinib use and photosensitivity. Clinicians should continue to balance the benefits and risks when prescribing Avapritinib to patients.
Background: Drug-induced pericarditis is an important cause of pericarditis and if un-noticed and un-managed can lead to constrictive pericarditis, pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Objective: The objective of this analysis was to determine if a significant signal exists between Azacitidine use and pericarditis. Methods: A pharmacovigilance analysis was performed using the FDA Adverse Event Database. Results: 48 reports of Azacitidine induced pericarditis with Azacitidine as the suspect drug were identified. The most common indications for Azacitidine use in the adverse event reports were myelodysplastic syndrome (48%) and acute myelogenous leukemia (27%). Physicians reported 44% of the Azacitidine induced pericarditis reports while other health professional reported 52% of the reports. The disproportionality analysis showed a PRR of 5.0, chi-squared of 149.8, ROR of 5.0 and IC025 of 1.8. Literature review found three case reports of Azacitidine induced pericarditis. Conclusion: The signal between Azacitidine and pericarditis was found to be statistically significant. Clinicians should be aware of the possible risk of pericarditis when prescribing Azacitidine. If there is suspicion for Azacitidine induced pericarditis, clinicians should consider discontinuation of Azacitidine to improve patient’s symptoms and reduce the likelihood of the development of constrictive pericarditis, pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.