Severity Grading of Dermatological Emergencies Based on Comorbidities and Systemic Involvement: An Observational Study
April 2023
in “
Archives of Dermatological Research
”
TLDR Skin emergency severity rises with other health issues and affects multiple organs; a new grading system can improve patient care.
The observational study involved 202 patients requiring urgent dermatological interventions, with the most common emergency being acute urticaria (25.24%). The severity of these emergencies was found to increase with the presence of comorbidities and systemic involvement. A grading system was proposed to help assess this severity, with Grade I representing no comorbidity or systemic involvement, and Grade IV representing more than 2 comorbidities or multiorgan involvement. The most common comorbidity was diabetes mellitus. The study also noted an increase in hair disorders such as telogen effluvium and alopecia areata during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mortality rate was 1.98%. The researchers concluded that the proposed grading system could help triage patients and plan urgent interventions.
