AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightWe suggest that a close interaction between pediatric rheumatology-dermatology and the formation of consensus clinics are going to assist clinicians in making easier and accurate diagnoses.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Dermatological findings may be the sole complaints of diseases in pediatric rheumatology practice. Evaluating patients with a multi-disciplinary approach may facilitate access to an accurate diagnosis. Herein, we reported our one-year experience in collaborative pediatric rheumatology-dermatology.METHODS: Patients were initially evaluated separately in pediatric rheumatology-dermatology outpatient clinics. Subse-quently, once a week, the final diagnoses of patients with suspected skin rash were collaboratively discussed by two pediatric rheumatologists and a dermatologist.RESULTS: A hundred and one patients were included in this study. Of these 101 patients, 65 attended to dermatology outpa-tient clinic initially, while the remaining 36 applied to the pediatric rheumatology outpatient clinic. The most common mucocu-taneous finding was squamous lesions in 30 patients, followed by erythematous lesions in 28 and mucosal ulcers in 14. Finally, 69 patients were diagnosed with a rheumatic disease while 32 had differential diagnoses apart from rheumatic diseases.CONCLUSION: Patients with rheumatologic diseases frequently present with only mucocutaneous findings. Thus, a detailed examination of the mucosa, skin and its attachments is of paramount importance in rheumatology practice. We suggest that a close interaction between pediatric rheumatology-dermatology and the formation of consensus clinics are going to assist clinicians in making easier and accurate diagnoses.