Are prurigo nodularis and asthma related?

Question

Hello doctor,

My cousin is 49 years old, and he has got these awfully itchy bumps all over his arms and legs, they are like nodules. He has been scratching them until they bleed, and they are scarring. He has tried all sorts of creams and lotions, but nothing helps. The doctor said it might be prurigo nodularis but he is also wheezing a lot, like he has asthma. He is confused because he has never had asthma before. Can these two conditions be related? What kind of treatment is there for both, and are there any side effects from the medications? He is sleepless because of the itching.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

There is a strong association between atopy that is having asthma, and eczema in people with nodular prurigo.

Nodular prurigo is treated by:

Topical corticosteroids.
Tacrolimus 0.1 percent ointment.
Paste bandages or cling film.
Emollients.
Antihistamine tablets or syrups.
Phototherapy.
Psychological treatment.
Dupixent (Dupilumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with prurigo nodularis (PN).

Dupilumab is a safe and effective biological drug that revolutionized the treatment of PN. Concerning adverse events (AEs), the most commonly reported included ocular involvement, nasopharyngitis, and injection site reactions inflammation.

I hope this has helped you.

Please feel free to reach out to me again if you have further queries.

Thank you.