title: Specialized rheumatology clinic in an emergency department: A year of the rheumatology and musculoskeletal emergencies clinic (RMSEC) experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In October 2013, the emergency department of our hospital started up a rheumatology and musculoskeletal emergencies clinic (RMSEC) with the participation of three specialists in Rheumatology. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience gained in the first year since the beginning of our activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study of healthcare activity of the RMSEC throughout its first year of operation was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1788 assessments on 1663 patients were performed. The range of age was 7 to 67 years. 1530 (85.57%) assessments were performed in patients of the healthcare area of our hospital. Of all the assessments made, 633 (35.4%) were related to inflammatory processes and the remaining 1155 (64.6%) to mechanical or degenerative joint or soft tissue processes. According to the topography of the complaint, 435 (24.3%) patients consulted for a process related to the knee, 362 (20.3%) with axial lumbar region and 336 (18.8%) with the shoulder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results denote an intense clinical activity that could have a positive impact on the management of rheumatic and musculoskeletal general emergency.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España. Electronic address: Cguillen.hrc@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Carlos Antonio
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Guillén-Astete
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boteanu
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Blázquez-Cañamero
authors.affiliation: Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Área Noreste, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villarejo-Botija
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dolor musculoesquelético; Ecografía articular; Musculoskeletal pain; Musculoskeletal ultrasonography; Reumatología; Rheumatology; Urgencias; Urgencies