'COVID toes probably more rampant than we realize'
Dermatologist says symptoms are likely an inflammatory reaction possibly in response to COVID-19
Cases of a new mysterious skin condition that causes purple, blue or red discoloration of the toes and sometimes fingers are popping up across the country and leading dermatologists to wonder if there is a connection to COVID-19.
Northwestern Medicine dermatologist Dr. Amy Paller said she has seen images of approximately 30 cases of this condition, informally being called “COVID toes,” and is part of a national pediatric dermatology registry collecting images across the United States. She said more testing is needed to definitely know what is causing the condition.
“We don’t know for sure if it’s related to COVID-19, but when it’s so common right now during a pandemic and is occurring in otherwise asymptomatic or mildly affected patients, it seems too much of a coincidence not to be a manifestation of the virus for patients in their teens and 20s,” said Paller, the chair of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a pediatric dermatologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “I think it’s much more rampant than we even realize. The good news is it resolves spontaneously.”
Given the shortage in testing for the virus right now, Paller recommends getting antibody testing when available to confirm the association in these otherwise largely healthy kids.
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Download images of 'COVID toes'

