Abstract: 【Abstract】skin pruritus is a common symptom in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Pruritus affects the quality of life, causes anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and unfavorable prognosis of the patients. Although many kinds of treatment can be used clinically, the curative effect is limited. The pathogenesis of pruritus is complicated. This paper expounds the pathogenesis of skin pruritus in MHD patients from the perspectives of dry skin, immune inflammation hypothesis, histamine, bivalent ions, opioid hypothesis, parathyroid hormone, peripheral neuropathy, dialysis adequacy and mode, and glycosylation hypothesis.

Key words: Maintenance hemodialysis, Pruritus, Pathogenesis