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Abstract
Twenty-three chronic uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis and suffering from
severe pruritus were treated with activated powdered charcoal (6 g daily p.o.)· In
10 patients pruritus disappeared completely, and in 10 other patients a partial effect
was observed. The favorable results persisted for several weeks after discontinuation
of the treatment. Only 3 cases were totally unresponsive. No relevant undesirable
side effects were observed with the exception of 1 case who showed treatment intolerance.
It is concluded that activated charcoal per os is a safe, effective, and low-cost
therapy for patients with uremic pruritus, but its mechanism of action is unknown.