To the Editor.—
Generalized pruritus may be a symptom of occult disease, and, in some disorders, it seems to be of prognostic as well as diagnostic value. There are not many reports about pruritus as a manifestation of iron deficiency.1 We report a case of generalized itching occurring as the only manifestation of iron deficiency.
Report of a Case.—
A 68-year-old man was seen in our department in February 1982 with a three-year history of generalized pruritus that had recently become more severe. He had been treated with the usually accepted antihistamine drugs and during the last months with cinnarizine, for its antipruritic effect. Because there was no relief from itching, he was admitted to a hospital. There was no familial or personal history of atopy. The skin was normal except for some scratch marks and an abdominal scar (at the site of previous gastric resection for ulcer in