01-05-2020 by Mirai
According to a new study, there are five skin conditions that have been identified by dermatologists associated with the coronavirus.
Researchers in Spain studied 375 patients how the disease caused symptoms in the skin. The Spanish Academy of Dermatology asked all dermatologists in the country to help identify patients who had an unexplained skin "rash" in the past two weeks and who suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
They were given a questionnaire, and photographs were taken to detect patterns of the virus affecting the skin. However, some dermatologists warn that in some cases it is difficult to know if any condition is linked to the coronavirus. They also urged the public not to try to self-diagnose if they have COVID-19 based on skin symptoms, as rashes and skin lesions are common and difficult to tell apart.
According to the study, 19% of the cases involved symptoms similar to those of chilblain, described as "acral areas of erythema-edema with some vesicles or pustules"
It indicates that the injuries can affect the hands and feet and can be similar to the itchy swelling of chilblains.
They were described as small red or purple spots caused by bleeding under the skin and generally asymmetrical in appearance. The study said they were associated with younger patients, lasted an average of 12.7 days, appeared later in the COVID-19 course, and were associated with less severe cases of the disease.
Vesicular rashes
Described as outbreaks of small, commonly itchy blisters that appeared on the trunk of the body, dermatologists identified "vesicular rashes" in 9% of cases. They indicate that they may be full of blood, could enlarge or extend further, and could affect people's limbs.
Associated with middle-aged patients, they lasted an average of 10.4 days, appeared more frequently before other symptoms, and were associated with intermediate severity of the disease.
Hives
Identified in 19% of cases, "urticarial lesions" consist of raised pink or white areas of the skin that resemble a nettle rash. Commonly known as welts, they usually itch and can spread throughout the body, even in some cases on the palms of the hands. They were found to last an average of 6.8 days.
Other Maculopapules
"Other maculopapules" were identified in 47% of cases and were described as small, flat, raised red bumps.
They were distributed around the hair follicles in some cases and had varying degrees of peeling. The study showed that the appearance was similar to pityriasis rosea, a common skin condition. Blood stains may be present under the skin, either as spots or spots or in larger areas. These conditions lasted 8.6 days on average.
They generally appeared at the same time as other coronavirus symptoms, were associated with more severe cases, and itching was very common.
The researchers emphasized that maculopapules and urticarial lesions are common and can have many causes, meaning that they may not be a helpful helper in diagnosing COVID-19.
Livedo or necrosis
Identified by dermatologists in 6% of cases, livedo or necrosis occurs when circulation in the blood vessels of the skin is affected, causing it to adopt a red or blue spotted appearance with a network-like pattern. . Necrosis describes the premature death of skin tissue.
Patients showed varying degrees of injury that pointed to "occlusive vascular disease," where narrowing or blockage of the arteries occurs, limiting blood flow to certain areas of the body.
The study added that these conditions were associated with older patients with severe cases of COVID-19, although the manifestations of the disease in this group varied.
Livedoid and necrotic lesions are relatively rare, but the authors said it was difficult to know if they were directly caused by the coronavirus or simply indicated complications.
coronavirus, lesions, skin, covid, symptoms