Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital has opened Korea's first multidisciplinary "Intractable Itch Center" for precision diagnosis and customized treatment of chronic itch patients, the hospital said Wednesday.
Chronic itch is recognized as a complex condition linked not only to skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis and chronic urticaria but also to a wide range of systemic diseases, including kidney disease, liver disease, endocrine disorders, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, and geriatric conditions. As Korea has entered an aged society, the number of patients complaining of itch related to skin aging, chronic diseases, and polypharmacy has risen sharply. Although often regarded as a common symptom, the burden on patients is substantial. Chronic itch lasting more than six weeks can significantly diminish quality of life, causing sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.
A greater problem is that skin lesions are often unclear or the causes are multifactorial, leading to repeated symptomatic treatment centered on antihistamines or steroids without accurate diagnosis. In many cases, the underlying cause lies in systemic disease or mental health issues, but treatment is approached solely based on skin symptoms, delaying diagnosis and care. This is the background for Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital's establishment of the Intractable Itch Center, which builds a multidisciplinary care system focused on identifying root causes.
The center operates as a collaborative system led by the Department of Dermatology, with participation from internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, otolaryngology, and psychiatry. Based on specialized dermatological evaluation, the center analyzes the nature of the itch, its onset, aggravating factors, and accompanying symptoms. When necessary, it comprehensively performs blood tests, allergy patch tests, skin biopsies, neurological assessments, and mental health evaluations to systematically verify any association with systemic diseases.
The center will focus particularly on conditions that do not respond to existing treatments, including severe atopic dermatitis, chronic urticaria, prurigo nodularis, contact dermatitis, occupational dermatitis, post-burn itch, and chronic itch of unknown origin. For patients whose symptoms have worsened from repeated symptomatic treatment or who have received long-term steroid therapy, the center will reset the treatment direction through accurate diagnosis. Beyond patient care, the center plans to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment accessibility by standardizing clinical data on intractable itch, developing educational materials by disease, and conducting academic exchanges with regional medical institutions.
"Itch is not simply a skin problem but can be a signal of systemic disease, so the cause must be identified for itch that disrupts sleep or does not respond to existing treatment," said Kim Hye-won, director of the Intractable Itch Center. "We will establish a precision diagnosis and multidisciplinary care system focused on identifying root causes and provide treatment tailored to each patient's characteristics."
