Why dermatology patients are hospitalized? A study from Pakistan

In most countries, there are no specified protocols or guidelines for admitting dermatology patients and admission criteria depend on assessment and sometimes the whim of the dermatologist. Although the severity and extent of the disease are the commonest reasons for hospitalizing dermatology patients, sometimes other factors also operate to provide comfort to the patient. This study was carried out to determine the reasons for hospitalizing patients on dermatology beds in secondary care hospitals of Pakistan. A questionnaire comprising patients' demographic data, diagnosis, specific reasons for hospitalization and length of hospital stay was sent to dermatologists of 10 secondary care hospitals in the country. The data received in response were processed and analyzed using the SPSS-10 computer program. A total of 310 patients were included in the study. Patient age ranged from 1 to 87, mean 28.87+/-12.32 years. The severity and extent of the disease (n=122; 39.3%), outpatient treatment failure (n=57; 18.4%) and need for further observation and/or investigations (n=51; 16.5%) were the most common reasons for hospitalizing these patients. Hospital stay of the patients ranged from 2 to 30, mean 9.82+/- 6.43 days. Scabies (n=56; 18.1%), chickenpox (n=52; 16.8%) and eczema (n=41; 13.2%) were the most common diagnoses.