Cutaneous manifestations among COVID 19 patients admitted to a COVID hospital in South India

Introduction: COVID‐19 disease is caused by SARS COV-2 virus. Though it primarily affects the lower respiratory tract, recent reports have indicated that specific cutaneous manifestations are associated with COVID-19.Aim: To identify the cutaneous manifestations present among COVID-19 infected patients. Methods: A descriptive study on patients with active COVID-19 disease at a designated district COVID hospital was conducted for two months from Sept 1 to Oct 31, 2020. The demographics, severity of COVID disease, and co-morbidities were noted. The cutaneous examination was done to record the type of rash, site, and symptoms of rash. The results were statistically analyzed. Results: 1065 patients were included in our study, with 626 males and 439 females. The COVID disease severity was mild in 88.08% of patients. 48 cases (4.51%) had skin manifestations, of which 52.08% were males, and 47.92% were females. The majority, 33.34% of patients with skin manifestations, were in the age group of over 60 years, followed by 31.25 % of patients in the 41 – 60 years age group. 89.58% of these patients developed skin rash after the appearance of COVID symptoms. 85.42% of patients with rash had mild COVID disease. The most common symptom was itching (70.83%). Urticaria and Pruritus were the most common manifestations (25%), followed by Vesiculopapular Rash, Acral Erythema, Maculopapular Rash, Irritant Contact Dermatitis, Aphthous Ulcer, Herpes Zoster, Purpura, and others. The most common site of rash was the abdomen (29.17%).Conclusion: Prevalence of cutaneous manifestations among COVID-19 patients was 4.51% in our study, but more extensive research is required to further our knowledge on the relation between skin and COVID-19