Covid-19 patients have a high probability of septic shock, organ defects, and respiratory failure. Reports indicate the rise of skin lesions due to coronavirus, like skin rashes, purpuric lesions, urticaria, and vesicles. This study assesses the preliminary data to overview cutaneous manifestations associated with Covid-19 patients.
The researchers carried out a literature search to avail relevant clinical and histological data. Databases updated for 30 April 2020 from PubMed, Scopus, and Web Of Science were the subject data. They also retrieved papers using word combinations of Covid-19 with rash, eruption, purpura, livedo, exanthem, skin, chilblain, urticarial, skin, and cutaneous manifestation.
Case reviews and small studies had low-quality evidence. No pathogenic mechanisms were available, but the hyperactive immune response, complement activation, and micro-vascular injury seemed to have a role. Large cohort reports enabled a six category stratification of skin lesions. The first inflammatory group had an urticarial rash, confluent erythematous–maculopapular–morbilliform rash, papulovesicular exanthem. The second group with vasculopathy and vasculitic lesions had chilblain acral pattern, (reticular) livedo racemosa, and purpuric patterns.
Covid-19 related skin lesions had a varied latency period. Further research is necessary to delineate its prognostic and diagnostic value.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjd.19264
