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END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE

One step closer to alleviating uraemic pruritus

Nature Reviews Nephrology volume 16, pages 189–190 (2020)Cite this article

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The KALM-1 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial showed that intravenous difelikefalin, a selective κ-opioid receptor agonist, significantly reduces itch intensity in haemodialysis patients with uraemic pruritus. However, 49% of difelikefalin-treated patients showed no improvement. In light of the increasing number of patients with end-stage renal disease, additional treatments are sorely needed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Occupational Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Elke Weisshaar & Robert F. Ofenloch

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  1. Elke Weisshaar
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  2. Robert F. Ofenloch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elke Weisshaar.

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Competing interests

E.W. is principal investigator in clinical trials sponsored by Trevi Therapeutics and Menlo Therapeutics. R.F.O. declares no competing interests.

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Weisshaar, E., Ofenloch, R.F. One step closer to alleviating uraemic pruritus. Nat Rev Nephrol 16, 189–190 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-020-0251-3

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