Objective Pruritus caused by various diseases severely affects the physical and mental health of servicemen. The aim of the present paper is to suggest a direction of research in pruritus based on the current status of research and treatment of pruritus. Methods The current status of research and treatment of pruritus were analyzed based on the literature of basic research and clinical work during the last decade, combined with the results of the authors' clinical research work. Results For the past 10 years, the study in neurophysiology of pruritus had made great advances in basic research field, in which the discovery of pruritus-mediating nerve fibers considerably expanded the knowledge on pathogenesis of pruritus, and many new pruritus mediators and their respective receptors had been identified to be involved in induction and chronicity of the symptom. Although many new therapies had been proposed, severe chronic pruritus was still a great challenge in clinical practice. Conclusion Further understanding of the key molecules of pruritus signals and respective pruritus receptors will eventually become the targets for novel topical and systemic therapies, and provide new therapeutic options for the patients with severe chronic pruritus.%目的 根据国内外皮肤瘙痒的研究进展和治疗现状,提出未来皮肤瘙痒的探索方向.方法 检索近10年来国内外皮肤瘙痒基础研究与临床治疗领域的主要文献报道,结合作者的临床工作及基础研究成果进行评述,明确皮肤瘙痒的研究进展及治疗现状.结果 近10年来有关皮肤瘙痒的神经生理学基础研究取得了明显进展,传递瘙痒信号的特定神经纤维亚单位的发现深化了人们对瘙痒发病机制的认识,发现多种内源性致痒物质及其选择性受体与瘙痒的发生密切相关.尽管目前新的抗瘙痒治疗方向不断被提出,但是严重慢性皮肤瘙痒的临床治疗仍然面临巨大的挑战.结论 进一步阐明皮肤瘙痒的神经生理学机制,深入研究瘙痒信号传导通路中的关键分子以及致痒物质的选择性受体对于理解瘙痒的发病机制和未来抗瘙痒的有效治疗具有重要意义,可以为临床系统和局部治疗皮肤瘙痒特别是慢性皮肤瘙痒提供新的思路.
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