Evaluation of Dermatology Consultations Requested from the Pediatric Clinic

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical, demographic, and diagnostic characteristics of pediatric patients consulting the dermatology department.
 Methods: Patients who were consulted to the dermatology department from pediatric clinic of XX Hospital between January 2021 and August 2021 were scanned retrospectively. The demographic data of the patients, the pediatric department requesting consultation, their complaints at admission, the reasons for asking for consultation, and the diagnoses they received as a result of the consultation were recorded.
 Results: A total of 296 patients, 150 (50.7%) females and 146 (49.3%) males, with a median age of 5.5 years (1.5-10.5 ) were evaluated. The outpatient clinic were seen to have made the most requests for consultation. The most frequent complaints on presentation were seen to be redness of the skin in 168 (56.8%) cases and itching in 36 (12.2%). The five most common diagnoses made as a result of the consultation were unspecified dermatitis in 47 (15.9%) cases, scabies in 34 (11.5%), insect bite in 17 (5.7%), atopic dermatitis in 13 (4.4%), and seborrheic dermatitis in 13 (4.4%). When the diagnoses were examined according to the age groups, unspecified dermatitis was usually seen in the 0-2, 6-11, and 12-18 years age groups and insect bite was more common in the 3-5 years age group.
 Conclusion: The establishment of effectively functioning consultation mechanisms not only facilitates a correct diagnosis for the patient and appropriate treatment, but also can shorten the length of hospital stay for pediatric patients and can reduce economic costs.