Skin lesions in children during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Med Clin (Barc). 2021 Jul 9;157(1):33-37. doi: 10.1016/j.medcli.2021.03.004. Epub 2021 May 4.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Background: Cutaneous manifestations have been included in COVID-19 patients' clinical spectrum. Our objective was to determine the association between skin lesions in children and SARS-CoV-2 infection, analyzing others possible infectious/autoimmune etiologies.

Material and methods: Observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study, about children with skin manifestations from April to May 2020. The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 was performed by PCR in nasopharyngeal exudate and/or presence of antibodies by serology.

Results: Sixty-two children were included, 9 (14.5%) presented positive antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, with no positive PCR to SARS-Cov-2 in those patients in whom it was made. Patients with positive serology to SARS-CoV-2 presented chilblains and/or vesicular-bullous skin lesions more frequently (66.7% vs. 24.5%, p=0.019). Generalized, urticarial and maculopapular rash was more common in patients with negative antibodies (37.7 vs. 0%, p=0.047), others pathogens were isolated in 41.5% of these patients. There were no significant differences in the positivity for autoantibodies between both groups.

Conclusion: In our study, the presence of chilblains-like and/or vesicular lesions were significantly related to SARS-CoV-2 previous contact.

Keywords: COVID-19; Chilblains; Exantema; Exanthema; Manifestaciones cutáneas; Perniosis; SARS-CoV-2; Skin manifestations.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Skin Diseases*