Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Pediatrics

Back ground: Pruritus (itch) is an agonizing symptom accompanying various liver diseases, particularly cholestatic disorders. Among the patients with liver diseases, 80-100% with cholestasis suffer from chronic pruritus. In younger children it is most commonly seen in cholestatic conditions as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), Alagille syndrome and biliary atresia . While, in older children it is seen in: infectious hepatitis, obstructive jaundice, e.g. gallstones , sclerosing cholangitis. Pruritus has shown negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL) by impairing both physical and mental health. There is currently no single established pathogenetic explanation and all available antipruritic treatment options are empiric and are not consistently effective. Management of pruritus in cholestasis continues to be a challenge and it remains a cause of considerable distress among patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to study the level of the bile salts in pruritus with chronic liver diseases in pediatric patients ,and to evaluate the relationship between level of the serum bile salts and severity of pruritus in these patients

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