title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Ruzza
authors: P H
authors: PH
authors: Itin
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Beltraminelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003880:Dermatology; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents