Dermatological Manifestations of COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), was first identified in China, in December 2019. Almost 10% of the patients develop dermatological manifestations before the onset of respiratory illness, with cutaneous signs that can appear from before to several days after the diagnosis of COVID-19. We believe that the dermatologist can play an important role through early recognition of skin lesions suggestive of COVID-19, particularly in asymptomatic infections where this recognition could direct toward an early diagnosis of infection that certainly leads to a better prognosis. Objective: To explore the pattern of dermatological manifestations among COVID-19 Bangladeshi patients. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out May 2020 to October 2021 with COVID 19 positive hospital admitted patients. Data were collected through a group of Dermatologists who were serving at COVID dedicated Hospitals. Dermatologists, who were working in different medical college hospital and health complexes, were attached with the study as research associate. Results: Among the muco-cutaneous findings, maculo-papular eruption 52(53.6%) was the most common, followed by chilblain like eruption 40(41.2%), petechiae or purpura 16 (16.5%), urticarial lesions 13(13.4%), vesicular lesion 10(10.3%), Bilateral conjunctivitis with clear/mucoid discharge 10 (10.3%), aphthous stomatitis 13 (13.4%), Alopecia 16(16.5%), Darkening of the face 13 (13.4%), Eczematoid reaction 13 (13.4%), livedo reticularis like eruption 5(5.2%) etc. Conclusion: The major dermatological patterns of COVID-19 can be classified as inflammatory reactions (maculopapular, urticarial and vesicular rashes), or lesions of vascular origin (chilblain like rashes, petechiae/purpura, and livedo reticularis like pattern).