The level of evidence is downgraded by study quality, indirectness and imprecision.
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 1 study with a total of 257 subjects. There was an absence of evidence for the main interventions of interest: emollient creams, cooling lotions, topical corticosteroids, topical antidepressants, systemic antihistamines, systemic antidepressants, systemic anticonvulsants, and phototherapy. Only one study was included with 257 randomised (253 analysed) participants, aged 18 to 65 years; 60.6% were female. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of three different doses of oral serlopitant (5 mg, 1 mg, and 0.25 mg, once daily for six weeks) compared to placebo for severe chronic pruritus. Low-certainty evidence suggested that serlopitant may reduce pruritus intensity when compared with placebo.
Abstract and full text in Cochrane database http://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013128.pub2/information (licence for full text required)
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