Background: The field of outpatient infectious disease (ID) consultations is expanding. Surprisingly, limited data are available regarding the scope of formal, adult, outpatient ID consultations.
Methods: The computerized records of all adult outpatient ID consultations conducted by a single ID expert over the years 2001-2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, clinical and management characteristics were studied.
Results: We identified 619 eligible cases, mostly women (61.4%). The mean age (+/- SD) was 39 +/- 15.5 years, and each patient had 1.3 +/- 0.7 visits on average. In 12% of the cases, symptoms have been fluctuating for > or = 1 year. Most of the cases (54.3%) have been referred for the purpose of management rather than diagnostics. Largest areas leading to ID consultation were post-travel medical conditions (15.5%) and pregnancy-related infections (11%); specific leading categories were viral infections (17.3%), skin and soft tissue syndromes (15.2%) and gastrointestinal syndromes (7.6%). Recurrent, well-characterized infections plus ill-defined syndromes constituted a substantial part of all referrals. Newly discovered findings were elicited in the medical history and physical examination in 3.7% and 2.7% of cases, respectively.
Conclusions: Formal outpatient ID consultations have unique aspects, which differ from "traditional" inpatient consultations. The field offers exciting medical research possibilities and new themes for healthcare executives.
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