Top 10 acral skin manifestations associated with COVID-19: A scoping review

Dermatol Ther. 2021 Nov;34(6):e15157. doi: 10.1111/dth.15157. Epub 2021 Oct 21.

Abstract

COVID-19-associated cutaneous manifestations are one of the most important and relatively common extra-respiratory presentations of SARS-COV-2 infection. The exact identification and classification of these lesions can facilitate the accurate diagnosis and treatment. There are several case reports and small case series which describe cutaneous lesions in hands and feet. Currently, there is no scoping review about acral skin manifestations associated with COVID-19. This paper covers the COVID-related acral skin manifestations in 10 entities including acral papulo-vesicular eruption, acral urticarial lesion, acral non-inflammatory purpura and necrosis, acro-ischemia associated COVID-19, acral vasculitis, chilblain-like lesion (COVID Toe), acral erythema multiform (EM) like lesion, hand and foot skin lesions associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC), acral peeling conditions and red half-moon nail sign. Future studies should focus on exact investigation of etiologies of these lesions including role of immune senescence, environment, gender, immunogenetics and relation of these lesion with major organ involvements.

Keywords: Acral; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; cutaneous manifestations; skin.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / complications
  • Child
  • Erythema / diagnosis
  • Erythema / etiology
  • Exanthema*
  • Humans
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Supplementary concepts

  • pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease, COVID-19 related