Itching and stress: a comparative analysis of psychosomatic relationships in chronic dermatoses, skin neoplasms, and cutaneous toxic reactions

Michenko A.V., Lvov A.N., Kruglova L.S., Kuzma E.A., Abdullaeva A.-S.S., Allenova A.S., Romanov D.V.

1) Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia; 2) Medical Research and Educational Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; 3) International Institute of Psychosomatic Health, Moscow, Russia; 4) Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology, Moscow, Russia; 5) I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; 6) Mental Health Research Center, Moscow, Russia

Background: Itching significantly impacts patients’ quality of life, causing stress, anxiety, or depression. Psychological stress and subsequent modulation of the immune and nervous systems significantly influence itching. Stress can worsen itching and vice versa, leading to a vicious cycle that can significantly impair a patient’s quality of life.
Objective: Evaluation of the relationship between itching and stress in patients with itchy and non- itchy dermatoses, skin toxic reactions, and melanocytic skin neoplasms.
Materials and methods: In a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational, continuous, non-randomized, controlled study, patients with common itchy and non-itchy dermatoses, melanocytic skin lesions, and skin toxic reactions (n=597) were examined compared with a control group (n=216). A clinical dermatological examination, assessment of the intensity of itching using a numeric rating scale (0 to 10 points), a survey about the presence of stressful events over the past year, and a psychometric examination using the PSS-10 scale for the assessment of the level of perceived stress were conducted.
Results: The groups differed statistically significantly (<0.001) in the frequency of stressful events over the past year. Patients with skin toxic reactions reported stressful events most frequently (65.6%), followed by patients with psoriasis and acne (48.5% and 48.1%, respectively). The groups differed significantly in the level of perceived stress, with the highest rates observed in patients with skin toxic reactions, lower rates in those with acne and atopic dermatitis, and the psoriasis group ranking third. When assessing the association between itching and stress in different patient groups (Table 3), the strongest correlation was found in patients with melanocytic nevi, but it was not statistically significant. A moderately significant correlation was found for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
Conclusion: Thus, this study demonstrates a significant association between itching and stress, which significantly contributes to the disease burden in patients with cutaneous toxic reactions. Comprehensive therapy for patients with itching should be aimed not only at correcting this subjective symptom but also at improving stress management. 

For citations: Michenko A.V., Lvov A.N., Kruglova L.S., Kuzma E.A., Abdullaeva A.-S.S., Allenova A.S., Romanov D.V. Itching and stress: a comparative analysis of psychosomatic relationships in chronic dermatoses, skin neoplasms, and cutaneous toxic reactions. Pharmateca. 2025;32(10):116-122. (In Russ.). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/pharmateca.2025.10.116-122

Authors’ contribution: Michenko A.V., Lvov A.N., Kruglova L.S., Kuzma E.A., Romanov D.V. – performed clinical dermatological and psychometrical examination, dermatological treatment, literature collection and analysis, wrote the manuscript with input from all authors. Abdullaeva A.-S.S., Allenova A.S. – literature collection and analysis, wrote the manuscript with input from all authors.
All authors made a substantial contribution to the conception of the work, acquisition, analysis, interpretation of data for the work, drafting and revising the work, final approval of the version to be published and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Conflicts of interest: The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: The study was conducted without any sponsorship.
Ethical Approval: The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation (minutes of the local ethics committee meeting dated February 4, 2021).
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors’ Data Sharing Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.

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About the Authors

Anna V. Michenko, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Sssociate Professor, Department of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation; Dermatovenereologist, Medical Research and Educational Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University; Dermatovenereologist, International Institute of Psychosomatic Health; Dermatovenereologist, Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology, Moscow, Russia; amichenko@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2985-5729, SPIN: 8375-4620 (corresponding author)
Andrey N. Lvov, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Postgraduate Studies and Residency, Professor of the Department of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation; Chief Researcher, Medical Research and Education Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; alvov@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3875-4030, SPIN: 1053-3290
Larisa S. Kruglova, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Rector, Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia; kruglovals@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5044-5265, SPIN: 1107-4372
E.A. Kuzma, Dermatovenereologist, International Institute of Psychosomatic Health, Moscow, Russia; miss.fedulina1998@yandex.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8079-8002
A.-S.S. Abdullaeva, Resident of Department of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia; abdullaevasara@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8080-1929, SPIN: 8310-0354
Anastasia S. Allenova, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Senior Researcher, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia; allenova_a_s@staff.sechenov.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0751-0073, SPIN: 7765-7631
Dmitry V. Romanov, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, ICM, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University); Leading Researcher, Department for the Study of Borderline Mental Pathology and Psychosomatic Disorders, Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia; newt777@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1822-8973, SPIN: 2412-9077, Scopus Author ID: 25650916200

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