Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41783294›Full record

ArticleClinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology2026

Pruritus in Europe's Aging Populations: Regional and National Patterns, 1990-2023, and Forecasts to 2050: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023.

Lei Qin, Ziyuan Xu, Yinyi Feng, Jianbo Wei, Yong Zhang, Huayu Huang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lei Qin *Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Ziyuan Xu *School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Yinyi FengDepartment of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Jianbo WeiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0000-0003-0463-9939
Yong ZhangDepartment of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Huayu HuangDepartment of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0009-0005-1280-3278

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Pruritus is a common and distressing symptom among older adults, yet long-term patterns and regional differences across Europe remain insufficiently characterized. As European populations age rapidly, understanding how the burden of pruritus has evolved and may change is essential for clinical and public health planning. Methods: Using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 estimates, we quantified incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of pruritus among adults aged over 60 years in Central, Eastern, and Western Europe from 1990 to 2023. Age-standardized rates and case numbers were extracted for 5-year age groups by sex and country. Temporal trends were evaluated using estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and Joinpoint regression. Future burden to 2050 was projected with Bayesian age-period-cohort models using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation. All estimates included 95% uncertainty intervals. Results: From 1990 to 2023, age-standardized incidence, prevalence, and DALY rates increased significantly across all three European regions. In 2023, Central Europe exhibited the highest rates, whereas Western Europe had the largest absolute numbers of affected individuals. Females consistently showed higher rates and earlier peak ages than males. Age-specific curves demonstrated an inverted-U shape, and country rankings were generally aligned with long-term EAPC patterns. Projections suggest continued growth in incident and prevalent cases and DALYs through 2050, especially in Western Europe, with persistent sex- and age-related disparities. Conclusion: The burden of pruritus among older adults in Europe has risen steadily over the past three decades and is projected to increase further. Integrating routine itch assessment, optimized skin care, medication review, and strengthened referral pathways into primary, geriatric, and long-term care services is urgent to mitigate preventable disability in aging populations.

Indexed as

aging populationEuropeGlobal Burden of Disease Study 2023pruritus

Identifiers

PMID41783294
PMCPMC12953031

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.