Urgent consultations at the dermatology department of Basel University Hospital, Switzerland: characterisation of patients and setting - a 12-month study with 2,222 patients data and review of the literature.
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BORIS DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
24503493
Description
BACKGROUND
Urgent consultations for skin disorders are commonly done in different settings. Scarce data exist about the characteristics of these patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyse specific characteristics of patients receiving an urgent consultation at a dermatology department in a university hospital.
METHODS
We prospectively recorded the data of all patients having had an urgent consultation during a period of 12 months.
RESULTS
We registered 2,222 urgent consultations. The most frequent diagnoses were eczemas (24.8%), dermatomycoses (5.1%) and dermatitis not otherwise specified (4.8%). The most frequent treatments were topical steroids, emollients, topical antibiotics, systemic antihistamines, antibiotics and virostatics. 2.2% of patients were hospitalized, 78.8% asked for a consultation for a disease lasting less than 4 weeks, and 6.9% presented the same day as the skin disease appeared.
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the characteristics of patients receiving an urgent dermatologic consultation. It underlines the need for collaboration between dermatologists, other physicians, general practitioners and nurses.
Urgent consultations for skin disorders are commonly done in different settings. Scarce data exist about the characteristics of these patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyse specific characteristics of patients receiving an urgent consultation at a dermatology department in a university hospital.
METHODS
We prospectively recorded the data of all patients having had an urgent consultation during a period of 12 months.
RESULTS
We registered 2,222 urgent consultations. The most frequent diagnoses were eczemas (24.8%), dermatomycoses (5.1%) and dermatitis not otherwise specified (4.8%). The most frequent treatments were topical steroids, emollients, topical antibiotics, systemic antihistamines, antibiotics and virostatics. 2.2% of patients were hospitalized, 78.8% asked for a consultation for a disease lasting less than 4 weeks, and 6.9% presented the same day as the skin disease appeared.
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the characteristics of patients receiving an urgent dermatologic consultation. It underlines the need for collaboration between dermatologists, other physicians, general practitioners and nurses.
Date of Publication
2014
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Series
Dermatology
Publisher
Karger
ISSN
1018-8665
Access(Rights)
open.access