[Pruritus of the elderly].

Pruritus of the elderly. Pruritus is defined as an unpleasant sensation that causes the need for scratching. In the elderly, it is frequently encountered. As in the younger subject, it is generally linked to a skin disease and the diagnosis generally allows the treatment. A disease is nevertheless much more frequent: the bullous pemphigoid. More often than in younger patients, pruritus is sine materia. Many etiologies are then possible. The first reflex is then to look for a side effect of drug(s). Finally, pruritus is often idiopathic; this is called senile pruritus because it is probably related to aging.