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53/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 53 out of 100. Disparities

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

A cross-sectional study of geriatric patients was performed to provide a comprehensive description of the prevalence and clinical characteristics of chronic itch affecting Hispanic geriatric subjects in Mexico. Participants were recruited from both nursing homes and geriatric ambulatory care centers. Patients without dementia were evaluated using an itch intensity and characteristic questionnaire and were assessed for itch-related dermatoses (n = 302). Data on medications and underlying systemic diseases were obtained from medical records. The prevalence of chronic itch was 25% in this population. Of those with chronic itch, 69% had xerosis, 28% had itch-related dermatoses, and 96% had documented comorbidities. The most common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-3.9, p = 0.003) and chronic venous insufficiency (OR = 4.4, 95% CI 1.6-12.2, p = 0.002). The most common areas where patients experienced itch were legs (54%), back (45%), scalp (28%) and arms (27%). Patients experienced the greatest amount of itch in the winter (77%) and during the night (65%). Chronic itch is a common problem in the studied Hispanic geriatric population, and its presence significantly correlates with xerosis, diabetes, and venous insufficiency.

Key findings

Chronic itch is a common problem in the studied Hispanic geriatric population, and its presence significantly correlates with xerosis, diabetes, and venous insufficiency.

Why it matters

This study described the prevalence and characteristics of chronic itch in a Hispanic geriatric population in Mexico. It does not address Alzheimer's disease treatment, cure or prevention.

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Study details

Study designcross-sectional
Participants302
Effect sizeOR = 2.3; OR = 4.4
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 53/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Acta dermato-venereologica)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Acta Dermato Venereologica: journal h-index 141 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	4 / 12	A snapshot of people at one point in time
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	1 / 5	2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	2 / 4	302 participants
Effect reported	3 / 3	Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar)
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	5 / 7	Cited 106 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	8.2 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 9.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 26 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Gil Yosipovitch: h-index 89 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	National University of Singapore: institution h-index 1,166 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 3 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25203328)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	53 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

Read the original

Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

APA 7th

Valdes-Rodriguez, R., Mollanazar, N. K., González-Muro, J., Nattkemper, L., Torres-Alvarez, B., López-Esqueda, F. J., et al. (2015). Itch prevalence and characteristics in a Hispanic geriatric population: a comprehensive study using a standardized itch questionnaire. Acta dermato-venereologica. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-1968

Vancouver

Valdes-Rodriguez R, Mollanazar NK, González-Muro J, Nattkemper L, Torres-Alvarez B, López-Esqueda FJ, et al. Itch prevalence and characteristics in a Hispanic geriatric population: a comprehensive study using a standardized itch questionnaire. Acta dermato-venereologica. 2015. doi:10.2340/00015555-1968. PMID: 25203328.

BibTeX

@article{valdesrodriguez2015-25203328,
  author  = {Valdes-Rodriguez, R. and Mollanazar, N. K. and González-Muro, J. and Nattkemper, L. and Torres-Alvarez, B. and López-Esqueda, F. J. and Chan, Y. H. and Yosipovitch, G.},
  title   = {{Itch prevalence and characteristics in a Hispanic geriatric population: a comprehensive study using a standardized itch questionnaire}},
  journal = {Acta dermato-venereologica},
  year    = {2015},
  doi     = {10.2340/00015555-1968},
  pmid    = {25203328},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-1968}
}

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