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Study · Randomized controlled trial · 2026

3 results

Systemic Inflammatory Markers Correlate with Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus and Response to Treatment.

Spencer RH, Kilfeather SA, Lee E, Munera C, Wen W, Shirazian S, Kim BS, Menzaghi F

The Journal of investigative dermatology21 May 2025Cited by 6 (Europe PMC)

PMID40409676 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.jid.2025.04.035 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-40409676
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: CC BY-NC-ND. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In patients with kidney disease-associated pruritus, combined ten-marker reductions differed significantly between difelikefalin and placebo populations.

    In plain wordsIn patients with kidney disease-related itching, combined reductions in ten markers differed significantly between difelikefalin and placebo.

    Peptide
    Difelikefalin
    Outcome
    DecreaseTen-marker group reduction versus placebo
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The difelikefalin-associated reductions in the 10-marker group levels examined together also revealed a significant difference between the entire difelikefalin- and placebo-treated populations.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This was a retrospective analysis of data from 851 patients enrolled in 2 randomized phase 3 trials of difelikefalin, a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist approved for treating moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus.
    Summary · context
    Samples for marker measurement were collected at baseline (before treatment) and at week 12.
  2. 02HumanObservational studyMechanism

    In difelikefalin responders, levels of CCL2, CCL22, CXCL2, CXCL10, IFNγ, IL-2RA, IL-31, NGF, TNFα, and TSLP decreased significantly from baseline at week 12.

    In plain wordsIn patients whose itching responded to difelikefalin, ten inflammatory markers decreased significantly compared with baseline at week 12.

    Peptide
    Difelikefalin
    Outcome
    DecreaseTen-marker levels in treatment responders
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Baseline
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    At week 12, levels of 10 markers (CCL2, CCL22, CXCL2, CXCL10, IFNγ, IL-2RA, IL-31, NGF, TNFα, and TSLP) were significantly decreased from baseline in responders to difelikefalin treatment (defined as ≥30% Worst Itching Intensity Numerical Rating Scale score reduction) but not in nonresponders.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This was a retrospective analysis of data from 851 patients enrolled in 2 randomized phase 3 trials of difelikefalin, a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist approved for treating moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus.
    Summary · context
    Samples for marker measurement were collected at baseline (before treatment) and at week 12.
  3. 03HumanObservational studyMechanism

    In difelikefalin nonresponders, the ten reported pruritic and inflammatory markers did not decrease significantly from baseline at week 12.

    In plain wordsIn patients whose itching did not respond to difelikefalin, ten inflammatory markers did not decrease significantly compared with baseline.

    Peptide
    Difelikefalin
    Outcome
    No significant changeTen-marker levels in treatment nonresponders
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Baseline
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    At week 12, levels of 10 markers (CCL2, CCL22, CXCL2, CXCL10, IFNγ, IL-2RA, IL-31, NGF, TNFα, and TSLP) were significantly decreased from baseline in responders to difelikefalin treatment (defined as ≥30% Worst Itching Intensity Numerical Rating Scale score reduction) but not in nonresponders.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This was a retrospective analysis of data from 851 patients enrolled in 2 randomized phase 3 trials of difelikefalin, a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist approved for treating moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus.
    Summary · context
    Samples for marker measurement were collected at baseline (before treatment) and at week 12.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    28 Oct 2026, 02:03 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    27 Oct 2026, 16:35 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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