• F Drago, G Gasparini, A Signori, C Campisi, E Cozzani, and A Parodi.
• DISSAL Section of Dermatology, IRCCS Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
• J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015 May 1; 29 (5): 973-80.

BackgroundDermatological 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.ObjectiveOur 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'.MethodsWe conducted a prospective study, including dermatological patients admitted to EDOU of the University Hospital of San Martino, Genoa, Italy, in 3 years.ResultsOverall 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).ConclusionGiven 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.© 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

26 keywords...

hide…