Dermatological Conditions in Emergency Healthcare Settings
Summary
Dermatological presentations in emergency care encompass a broad spectrum of disorders ranging from benign rashes to life-threatening mucocutaneous reactions. Although skin complaints account for a modest proportion of emergency department attendances, their diversity poses diagnostic challenges for frontline clinicians. Common presentations include bacterial infections such as cellulitis and erysipelas, inflammatory and allergic dermatoses, drug-induced eruptions, autoimmune bullous disorders, and paediatric exanthems. Severe entities such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis demand rapid recognition and intensive supportive care to reduce morbidity and mortality. Teledermatology has emerged as an adjunct to in-person assessment, improving diagnostic accuracy and resource allocation in settings with limited specialist access. Seasonal and environmental factors influence the incidence of vector-borne and allergic skin conditions, underscoring the need for context-specific management protocols. Multidisciplinary collaboration between emergency physicians, dermatologists and allied health professionals is essential to streamline triage, optimise treatment pathways and minimise hospital admissions. Ongoing education programmes and decision-support tools aim to enhance clinician confidence in early recognition, ensure timely intervention and improve patient outcomes on a global scale.
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Dermatological Conditions in Emergency Healthcare Settings publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in dermatological conditions in emergency healthcare settings across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Dermatological emergency: Acute cutaneous condition posing immediate risk to health requiring urgent evaluation and management.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome: Severe mucocutaneous hypersensitivity reaction characterised by target lesions and mucosal membrane involvement.
Toxic epidermal necrolysis: Life-threatening variant of Stevens-Johnson syndrome with extensive epidermal detachment and risk of systemic complications.
Teledermatology: Remote assessment and management of skin disorders through digital imaging or telecommunication platforms.
Erythema multiforme: Hypersensitivity reaction presenting with targetoid skin lesions, often following infection or drug exposure.
References
- From Rash Decisions to Critical Conditions: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Presentations in Emergency Departments. Diagnostics (2025).
- Dermatological emergencies: a Moroccan retrospective case series over a period of two years. Pan African Medical Journal (2022).
- Hospital Dermatology: analysis of dermatological consultations in a tertiary teaching hospital. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia (2023).
- Spectrum of Inpatient Pediatric Dermatology Cases at a Tertiary Health Care Centre in South India. Cureus (2024).
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