title: Patients seen at the Dermatology ambulatory office in a tertiary care center in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Saudi Arabia where there is lack of dermatologists in primary health care centers, patients with simple or minor skin conditions have to attend to hospitals to be treated. We analyzed the data of patients with cutaneous disorders attending the tertiary referral hospital in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, with the aim to identify the most common conditions that patients complain of, in order to define the areas where the education of General Practitioners in Dermatology must focus.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients seen at the Dermatology ambulatory office in the Emergency Department of Qassim University affiliated hospital from January 2011 to December 2011 were included in this retrospective analysis. The medical records of the patients (history, physical examination and laboratory investigations) were analyzed to ascertain the diagnosis and the management of cases. All patients were evaluated by qualified dermatologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1147 patients attended the Dermatology ambulatory office. Most patients were young adults in the age group 21-30 years (34.4%). Allergic skin diseases (65.2%), mostly dermatitis (48.8%) and urticaria (10.5%) were the most common for attendance, followed by infectious diseases (25.8%) and inflammatory and autoimmune disorders (5.3%). The management of the vast majority of cases (94.1%) consisted of systemic treatment and 58.2% patients required topical treatment. A reevaluation plan as outpatients was planned in 9.0% patients while only 0.3% of patients required admission in the hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allergic and infectious skin diseases were the most common cutaneous diseases in patients attending this tertiary University hospital, while the management of most patients did not require specialized care. On the basis of the present data, the training of primary health care providers in Dermatology should emphasize these common conditions, with the aim of improving primary care and alleviating the burden on hospital care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahzad
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullateef A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alzolibani
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Robaee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hani A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Al Shobaili
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Alsharkasy
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Marshood
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulhakeem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Mutiari
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldukhayel
keywords: Dermatology; Saudi Arabia; ambulatory office