Evaluation of Chilblains as a Manifestation of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Case series (31 patients referred to a tertiary care hospital for suspected chilblains) found that in all patients with biopsy confirmed chilblains (n=22), SARS-CoV-2 RNA remained undetected; and chilblains appeared not to be directly associated with COVID-19.
Source:
JAMA Dermatology
Resource links:
Commentary:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2767775
Juncal Roca-Ginés et al series:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2767773
SPS commentary:
Authors of this study highlight that during the COVID-19 pandemic, several cases of chilblains and other similar skin conditions have been reported in infected patients. There have been suspicions that this may be a potential manifestation of the disease.
Authors of a related commentary state testing needs to occur in larger numbers and also at different stages of the disease to determine if a low viral load, undetectable with current methods, or the inability to mount an adequate immune response accounts for the negative SARS-CoV-2 test results in these patients. Authors recommend dermatologists be aware of the protean cutaneous findings that are possibly associated with COVID-19, even if understanding of their origins remains incomplete at this time.
A second case series by Juncal Roca-Ginés and colleagues (n=20) reports similar findings, and has been published in the same edition of this journal.