Dermatology-Related Emergency Department Visits in Tertiary Care Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive Study

Background/Objectives: Dermatological complaints are commonly seen in the emergency department (ED) setting and may be attributed to infectious, inflammatory, allergic, hypersensitivity, or traumatic processes, yet few studies have been carried out in Saudi Arabia addressing this topic. This study, therefore, aimed to explore this issue by investigating the most common dermatology-related ED encounters in a large tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and estimating the incidence of these encounters. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in the ED of King Abdulaziz Medical City, a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data included all patients with dermatology-related ED visits during the period of 2022-2023. Demographic information including, for example, age and sex was collected. The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) was used for the classification of diagnoses. Results: A total of 11,443 patients were included in the study, with male patients making up the majority (54.9%). The mean age upon diagnosis was 22.4 ± 23.2 years. More than half of the patients (55.3%) were diagnosed during childhood (<18), while proportions of older ages declined gradually. Average monthly presentations ranged from 400 to 560. Rash and non-specific skin eruptions (16%), cellulitis (13.6%), and urticaria (12.2%) were the most frequent dermatological emergencies. Conclusions: This study examined the dermatological conditions commonly seen in the emergency department. The findings highlighted a range of dermatology diseases that are typically seen in the ED. Addressing these prevalent disorders in the future will enhance ER physicians' understanding and management of such common dermatological problems.