Advances in itch research have elucidated differences between itch and pain but have also blurred the distinction between them. There is a long debate about how somatic sensations including touch, pain, itch, and temperature sensitivity are encoded by the nervous system. Research suggests that each sensory modality is processed along a fixed, direct-line communication system from the skin to the brain. Itch: Mechanisms and Treatment presents a timely update on all aspects of itch research and the clinical treatment of itch that accompanies many dermatological conditions including psoriasis, neuropathic itch, cutaneous t-cells lymphomas, and systemic diseases such as kidney and liver disease and cancer. Composed of contributions from distinguished researchers around the world, the book explores topics such as: Neuropathic itch Peripheral neuronal mechanism of itch The role of PAR-2 in neuroimmune communication and itch Mrgprs as itch receptors The role of interleukin-31 and oncostatin M in itch and neuroimmune communication Spinal coding of itch and pain Spinal microcircuits and the regulation of itch Examining new findings on cellular and molecular mechanisms, the book is a compendium of the most current research on itch, its prevalence in society, and the problems associated with treatment.

Pocket Companion to Brenner and Rector's The Kidney distills the essential clinical information from the latest edition of the seminal text on kidney diseases and their management. Michael R. Clarkson, Ciara Magee, and Barry M. Brenner detail the key pathophysiologic, diagnostic, and treatment issues in clinical nephrology, including interventional nephrology, endocrine aspects of kidney disease, and plasmapheresis. - Diagnose, treat, and manage both common and uncommon disorders. - Find clinical knowledge quickly and easily thanks to convenient tables throughout the text. - Choose the best option of the many techniques available through discussions of indications for laboratory tests and imaging studies.Enhance your clinical acumen with coverage of new topics such as risk factors and kidney disease, nephron endowment, interventional nephrology, plasmapheresis, xenotransplantation, stem cells in renal biology and medicine, and more. Stay current thanks to two new sections—Epidemiology and Risk Factors in Kidney Disease and Frontiers in Kidney Disease—that include topics such as stem cell and genomics.

The present book contains the Proceedings of a two day Symposium on Uremic Toxins organized at the University of Ghent in Belgium. A series of guest lectures, free communications and posters have been presented. An international audience of 163 scientists from 16 nationalities listened to and discussed extensively a spectrum of topics brought forward by colleagues and researchers who worked for many years in the field of Uremic Toxins. There is a striking contrast between all the new dialysis strategies available in the work to "clean" the uremic patients and the almost non-progression of our knowledge on uremic toxins in the past decade. In this sense the symposium was felt by all participants as a new start for the research in the biochemical field of the definition of uremia. If the present volume would stimulate new work in this field in order to define uremia, or identify the uremic toxins, the purpose of the organizers would be maximally fulfilled.

How do individuals conceive illness and symptoms? Do their conceptions conflict with the physician's views of their illness, and what happens if they do? This book thoroughly explores the field of disease representation, describes and discusses lay illness models in a variety of social, histo- rical and cultural contexts.

Numerous treatments have been proposed. But the treatment of itch remains difficult and it depends on its etiology. The understanding of the pathophysiogeny of itch is necessary. Fortunately, many very interesting results of research have been reported in the recent years. 'Pruritis' will explain the pathophysiogeny of itch, describe all causes, and give guidelines for management and treatment.

Albeit a very common symptom in dermatology, internal medicine, psychosomatics, neurology, and even oncology, itching was under-researched up until 15 years ago. Since then, the clinical aspects of acute and chronic itch have been examined extensively. As a result, some books on the topic have become available. Whereas most publications focus on experimental aspects and diagnostics, this volume of the series 'Current Problems in Dermatology' provides a comprehensive overview regarding the management of chronic itch. Select authors consider interdisciplinary aspects as well as age, body region, and specific diseases as they present a great variety of available treatments. All physicians with patients suffering from itch – especially dermatologists, general practitioners, gerontologists, nephrologists, hepatologists, neurologists, and palliative care doctors – will find this publication to be an essential source of information.

Nearly all patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have at least one significant dermatologic manifestation. This all-inclusive reference covers the wide array of cutaneous manifestations attributable to CKD, kidney transplantation and the pharmacological aspects of the disease process. Each chapter provides pathobiology, extensive clinical discussions, full-color images and in-depth treatment options. Dermatological Manifestations of Kidney Disease helps the practitioner, nephrologist, resident and student recognize, appropriately evaluate and treat these conditions more effectively.

Palliative care has become increasingly important across the spectrum of healthcare, and with it, the need for education and training of a broad range of medical practitioners not previously associated with this field of care. As part of the Integrating Palliative Care series, this volume on palliative care in nephrology guides readers through the core palliative knowledge and skills needed to deliver high value, high quality care for seriously ill patients with chronic and end-stage kidney disease. Chapters are written by a team of international leaders in kidney palliative care and are organized into sections exploring unmet supportive care needs, palliative care capacity, patient-centered care, enhanced support at the end of life, and more. Chapter topics are based on the Coalition for Supportive Care of Kidney Patients Pathways Project change package of 14 evidence-based best practices to improve the delivery of palliative care to patients with kidney disease. An overview of the future of palliative care nephrology with attention to needed policy changes rounds out the text. Palliative Care in Nephrology is an ideal resource for nephrologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, primary care clinicians, and other practitioners who wish to learn more about integrating individualized, patient-centered palliative care into treatment of their patients with kidney disease.

Enormous progress has been made in the treatment of chronic renal failure over the last decades. Until the 1950s, chronic renal failure was considered to be an inexorably lethal condition. This is no longer the case. In addition, the disease, severe uremic syndrome, is now extremely rare, if existent at all, in industrialized countries. Physicians of my generation who saw patients hospitalized with hemor raghes, pericarditis, severe anemia, cardiac failure, "malignant hypertension," pruritus, vomiting, generalized edema, and convulsions are particularly grate ful for this progress. I well remember seeing such patients hospitalized in the last days or weeks of their lives and also remember the sense of impotence I suffered for the com plete lack of efficient measures I had at my disposal to manage their condition. Nowadays, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation allow patients with chronic renal failure to survive for very long periods of time in a satisfactory condition. Why then is there still a sense of dissatisfaction and why should we study dietary management? The drawbacks of dialysis and transplantation are the main reasons, but the certainty that dietary therapy is complementary to dialysis and even better than dialysis in certain conditions, is also very important.