Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Dec 7, 2024 5:45:45 GMT
Dermatological complications due to post‑COVID‑19 syndrome: A systematic review - Published Nov 26, 2024
Abstract
Almost 20% of patients affected by COVID‑19 develop dermatological symptoms after recovery. This condition is termed as post‑COVID‑19 syndrome and is characterized by a state of hyperinflammation, as well as deregulations in the humoral response of CD8+ T‑cells. Since there is no specific treatment for these injuries, the treatment of choice depends on the symptoms; thus, it is essential to provide a description of the type and nature of the injuries presented. In the present study, a systemic review was performed using the PICO strategy in the repositories of PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase and Scopus using the key words ‘POST‑COVID and skin symptoms’. A total of 44 studies were included in the present systematic review. In these studies, the majority of subjects exhibited non‑specific symptoms, commonly referred to as ‘skin rash’, affecting up to 27.4% of the population. According to the studies, a maximum prevalence of 50% of alopecia was observed among the affected subjects. Additionally, several studies reported the prevalence of other lesions, including pruritus (25%), subcutaneous nodules (12%), dermatitis (9.4%), edema (9%) and pigmentation changes (6%). Dermatological lesions associated with autoimmunity were also identified, with these findings being more pronounced among females and in patients with a history of severe COVID‑19. Finally, several studies investigated the presence of autoantibodies, revealing a maximum prevalence of 41% for autoantibodies targeting the epidermis. Specifically, the prevalence was 12.9% for the Wuhan variant, 5.7% for the Alpha variant and 5% for the Delta variant. Although mostly benign, post‑COVID‑19 syndrome produces marked dermatological alterations for hair health, mainly among females. This, together with the development of lesions with an autoimmune component, constitutes an emerging therapeutic need.
Abstract
Almost 20% of patients affected by COVID‑19 develop dermatological symptoms after recovery. This condition is termed as post‑COVID‑19 syndrome and is characterized by a state of hyperinflammation, as well as deregulations in the humoral response of CD8+ T‑cells. Since there is no specific treatment for these injuries, the treatment of choice depends on the symptoms; thus, it is essential to provide a description of the type and nature of the injuries presented. In the present study, a systemic review was performed using the PICO strategy in the repositories of PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase and Scopus using the key words ‘POST‑COVID and skin symptoms’. A total of 44 studies were included in the present systematic review. In these studies, the majority of subjects exhibited non‑specific symptoms, commonly referred to as ‘skin rash’, affecting up to 27.4% of the population. According to the studies, a maximum prevalence of 50% of alopecia was observed among the affected subjects. Additionally, several studies reported the prevalence of other lesions, including pruritus (25%), subcutaneous nodules (12%), dermatitis (9.4%), edema (9%) and pigmentation changes (6%). Dermatological lesions associated with autoimmunity were also identified, with these findings being more pronounced among females and in patients with a history of severe COVID‑19. Finally, several studies investigated the presence of autoantibodies, revealing a maximum prevalence of 41% for autoantibodies targeting the epidermis. Specifically, the prevalence was 12.9% for the Wuhan variant, 5.7% for the Alpha variant and 5% for the Delta variant. Although mostly benign, post‑COVID‑19 syndrome produces marked dermatological alterations for hair health, mainly among females. This, together with the development of lesions with an autoimmune component, constitutes an emerging therapeutic need.