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Dermatological consultations in an observation unit of an emergency department in Italy
Author(s) -
Drago F.,
Gasparini G.,
Signori A.,
Campisi C.,
Cozzani E.,
Parodi A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/jdv.12744
Subject(s) - medicine , emergency department , exanthem , dermatological diseases , prospective cohort study , dermatology , vasculitis , epidemiology , pediatrics , medical emergency , emergency medicine , disease , surgery , psychiatry , pathology
Abstract Background Dermatological emergencies exist and should not be underestimated. On the other hand, many accesses to the emergency department ( ED ) of patients with dermatological conditions are unjustified. Objective Our main objective is to describe dermatological conditions seen in an ED observation unit ( EDOU ). Secondly, our aim is to identify alarm symptoms and signs of ‘true emergencies’. Methods We conducted a prospective study, including dermatological patients admitted to EDOU of the University Hospital of San Martino, Genoa, Italy, in 3 years. Results Overall 372 patients were studied. The most common condition seen was infection (41.67%) (mainly bacterial), followed by atypical exanthem (13.98%) and vasculitis (11.29%). The highest rate of cases peaked in May (13%); infectious diseases showed two peaks (spring and autumn). Conclusion Given constraints involved in health care today, it is crucial to understand which dermatological presentations are ‘true emergencies’. In such a scenario knowing the epidemiology of dermatological emergencies and the alarming skin signs and symptoms might be useful.