Changing patterns of hospital admissions for patients with rheumatic diseases.

Aims. To audit trends in hospital admission of patients with rheumatic diseases to a rheumatology unit. Methods. Numbers of admissions for 1990-1999 were reviewed. Notes of patients admitted in 1993, 5, 7 and 9 were reviewed for principal diagnosis and other data. Results. There was a 75% decline in admissions during the study period. There was a significant fall in admissions for control of active rheumatoid arthritis which dectimed from 53% to 21% of total admissions (p=0.004). Conclusions. In the last decade in Otago there has been a substantial decrease in patient admissions for treatment. This was mainly due to decreased admissions for treatment of flares of rheumatoid arthritis and its complications. Determining if this was due merely to more rigorous admission criteria or improved effectiveness of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis will be important for guiding decisions on healthcare services for patients with rheumatic diseases.