Rash Morphology as a Predictor of COVID-19 Severity: A Systematic Review of the Cutaneous Manifestations of COVID-19
May 2022
in “
Skin health and disease
”
Studysummary This study found that COVID-19 is associated with various skin rashes, which can indicate the severity of the disease, with chilblain-like lesions linked to milder cases and acro-ischaemia to more severe outcomes.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
This systematic review analyzed 240 papers and 2056 patients to study the relationship between rash morphology and COVID-19 severity. The most common skin manifestation was chilblain-like lesions (54.2%), followed by maculopapular (13.6%) and urticaria (8.3%). The study found a significant relationship between rash type and COVID-19 severity, with 20.9% of patients having a rash as their only symptom. Acro-ischaemia and livedo reticularis were associated with a higher risk of ICU transfer and mortality. The most common dermatological symptoms were pruritus (35.1%), pain (16.4%), and burning (4.7%). Hair and nail changes were observed in 1.9% of cases, typically 3 months after the COVID-19 episode. The study suggests that rash morphology could be a useful prognostic tool in managing COVID-19.
