Brachioradial pruritus: a tropical dermopathy.

Data on 42 patients with brachioradial pruritus seen in Hawaii over a 2-year period are presented. In contrast to previous reports, the sex ratio was 1:1 with a preponderance of patients in the younger age groups. All patients had developed the disorder after having lived in Hawaii for at least one year. More than half the cases had no history of neck trauma or arthritis, ruling out a peripheral neuropathy as the cause. Radiographs of 15 patients showed changes only in the patients in the older, arthritis-age groups. Brachioradial pruritus appears to be peculiar to the tropics.