lek. Agnieszka Kaczmarska-Such

 

ORCID: 0000-0003-3957-0441

The topic of my dissertation is: “Interactions of pain and pruritus in chronic skin diseases”

Current research suggests potential links between pain and itching in skin diseases. Itching, described as an unpleasant sensation that triggers the urge to scratch, and pain, perceived as burning, stinging, or discomfort, are subjective sensations that vary in perception among patients. It has been hypothesized that itching can be relieved by painful scratching, indicating a potential interaction between these sensations. Both are mediated by C-type nerve fibers and are associated with typical receptors and mediators such as histamine, neuropeptides, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These mechanisms underscore the need for further research to better understand their interaction and the pathophysiology of skin diseases. Pain and pruritus significantly affect patients' quality of life, leading to depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Patients' deteriorating mental state can exacerbate somatic symptoms, creating a vicious cycle of pain and pruritus. The study will include patients with confirmed dermatological diseases and a control group of healthy volunteers. The research tool will be validated scales with which pruritus, pain, quality of life and sleep, and depressive symptoms will be assessed. With this study, we aim to prove that measuring pain along with assessing pruritus can contribute to a more complete picture of patients' complaints and influence a more precise approach to the treatment and management of skin disease symptoms.

In 2023, I became a laureate of the 4th edition of the WALCZAK NAWA PROGRAM.

The Walczak NAWA Program has provided me with funding for a 3-month internship at the Institute of Allergology (Institut für Allergieforschung, IFA), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. This opportunity will allow me to gain valuable experience and knowledge in the field of allergy and pruritus research in chronic dermatoses at one of the leading medical institutions in Europe.

I am a member of Polish Society of Dermatology, European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology, and The European Society for Dermatological Research

Based on ResearchGate I have published 7 papers and my h-index is 5

The most important publication:

  1. Porokeratoses—A Rare Group of Dermatoses. Anderska A, Kaczmarska-Such A, Mazur E, Reich A Medicina. 2024; 60(11):1876. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60111876
  2. Pathomechanism of Pruritus in Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis: Novel Approaches, Similarities and Differences. Kaczmarska, Agnieszka Kwiatkowska, Dominika, Skrzypek Katarzyna Konstancja, Kowalewski, Zbigniew Tadeusz, Jaworecka, Kamila, Reich, Adam. International journal of molecular sciences, 2023 vol. 24,19 14734. DOI:10.3390/ijms241914734
  3. Association of Gender, Painkiller Use, and Experienced Pain with Pain-Related Fear and Anxiety among University Students According to the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-9 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Paweł Piwowarczyk; Agnieszka Kaczmarska; Paweł Kutnik; Aleksandra Hap; Joanna Chajec; Urszula Myśliwiec; Mirosław Czuczwar; Michał Borys 021-04-13DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084098