Acral lesions in a pediatric population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case series of 36 patients from a single hospital in Spain

• Published in: World journal of pediatrics : WJP Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 629 - 632
• Main Authors: Rosés-Gibert, Pau, Gimeno Castillo, Javier, Saenz Aguirre, Amaia, De la Torre Gomar, Francisco Javier, Carnero González, Lucía, Martinez de Lagrán Alvarez de Arcaya, Zuriñe, Gonzalez-Perez, Ricardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Distribution; Brief Report; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; COVID-19; Critical Care Medicine; Erythema - diagnosis; Erythema - epidemiology; Female; Hospitals, Urban; Humans; Imaging; Incidence; Intensive; Male; Maternal and Child Health; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pandemics - statistics & numerical data; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Prognosis; Pruritus - diagnosis; Pruritus - epidemiology; Radiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Sex Distribution; Skin Diseases - diagnosis; Skin Diseases - epidemiology; Spain - epidemiology; Surgery; Spain; COVID-19; Acute acro-ischemia; Chilblain-like; Acral lesions
• ISSN: 1708-8569; 1867-0687
• DOI: 10.1007/s12519-020-00390-0

Background To describe the cutaneous acral findings in a pediatric population noticed during this pandemic. Methods A retrospective descriptive study was performed collecting data on 36 patients under 14 years old, presenting suspicious acral skin manifestations for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Results Patients were mostly male (63.8%). The mean age was 11.11 years. 66.67% of patients showed erythematous papules, and 44.44% purpuric macules. Feet were affected in 97.22% of patients and hands in 5.55%. Lesions were asymptomatic in 50% of patients. 30.55% of patients showed extracutaneous findings, preceding skin lesions in 12.62 days. Seven patients underwent specific severe acute coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing; all of these patients tested negative. Conclusions The association between these symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear. We recommend using these manifestations as a sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. This could lead to the examination of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic children so that contagions may be avoided.