Dermatology in the intensive care unit

Considering the prevalence of skin lesions and drug eruptions in intensive care units and the absence of research about it, we decided to study skin lesions of patients admitted in intensive care unit.

In this descriptive study all patients admitted in intensive care units of Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan in 1376-78 were observed and examined by a resident in Dermatology. Skin biopsy and bacterial and fungal smears were done in selected cases. Data were collected, entered in SPSS and analyzed by ANOVA, Chi-square and Discriminant methods.

197 of a total of 406 patients had skin lesions. Skin lesions were most frequent in the age range of 21-40 years (37%) and least frequent in age groups under 10 years (2.5%) and over 80 years (3%). 116 of patients (58.9%) were male and 81 (41.1%) were female. The most common skin lesions were hemorrhagic cutaneous lesions (23.4%) and steroid acne (22.8%). The rarest was toxic epidermal necrolysis (0.5%). The most common causes of hospitalization were intracranial and subarachnoid hemorrhage (11.2% each).

Skin lesions are common in patients admitted in ICUs. Frequent and continuous examinations of these patients are recommended in order to prevent and treat them promptly.