Rheumatic diseases in an emergency department

Objective: There is scarce information about rheumatic diseases seen in the Emergency Room of a Public Health System. This information may help in the planification and assistance of these rheumatic diseases in the Emergency Room. Material and methods: The records of the Emergency Room of the Marques de Valdecilla University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively during 3 months in 1994. These was done randomly, and all rheumatic cases were analyzed. Results: 11.9% of all subjects that visit the Emergency Room do so with a rheumatic disease, and only Traumatology has a bigger workload. Problems related to the spine represents almost half of the cases (45.29%), peripheral joints a third (30.83%), soft-tissue rheumatisms a fifth (17.10%); classic rheumatic diseases with exclusion of the degenerative diseases represents 6%. 2.23% of the patients with rheumatic disease require immediate hospital admission. Conclusion: One of 8 or 9 patients seen at the Emergency Room have a rheumatic disease. The findings of this study suggest that a rheumatologist is important in the Emergency Room. Furthermore, the presence of recurrent rheumatic diseases at casualties are a good way of research and teaching of rheumatology.