Cutaneous manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Delta and Omicron waves in 348 691 UK users of the UK ZOE COVID Study app.
Journal
The British journal of dermatology
ISSN: 1365-2133
Titre abrégé: Br J Dermatol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0004041
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 2022
12 2022
Historique:
revised:
13
07
2022
received:
11
05
2022
accepted:
16
07
2022
pubmed:
24
7
2022
medline:
7
12
2022
entrez:
23
7
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection have differed during the different waves of the pandemic but little is known about how cutaneous manifestations have changed. To investigate the diagnostic value, frequency and duration of cutaneous manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to explore their variations between the Delta and Omicron waves of the pandemic. In this retrospective study, we used self-reported data from 348 691 UK users of the ZOE COVID Study app, matched 1 : 1 for age, sex, vaccination status and self-reported eczema diagnosis between the Delta and Omicron waves, to assess the diagnostic value, frequency and duration of five cutaneous manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection (acral, burning, erythematopapular and urticarial rash, and unusual hair loss), and how these changed between waves. We also investigated whether vaccination had any effect on symptom frequency. We show a significant association between any cutaneous manifestations and a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, with a diagnostic value higher in the Delta compared with the Omicron wave (odds ratio 2·29, 95% confidence interval 2·22-2·36, P < 0·001; and odds ratio 1·29, 95% confidence interval 1·26-1·33, P < 0·001, respectively). Cutaneous manifestations were also more common with Delta vs. Omicron (17·6% vs. 11·4%, respectively) and had a longer duration. During both waves, cutaneous symptoms clustered with other frequent symptoms and rarely (in < 2% of the users) as first or only clinical sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Finally, we observed that vaccinated and unvaccinated users showed similar odds of presenting with a cutaneous manifestation, apart from burning rash, where the odds were lower in vaccinated users. Cutaneous manifestations are predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their frequency and duration have changed with different variants. Therefore, we advocate for their inclusion in the list of clinically relevant COVID-19 symptoms and suggest that their monitoring could help identify new variants. What is already known about this topic? Several studies during the wildtype COVID-19 wave reported that patients presented with common skin-related symptoms. It has been observed that COVID-19 symptoms differ among variants. No study has focused on how skin-related symptoms have changed across different variants. What does this study add? We showed, in a community-based retrospective study including over 348 000 individuals, that the presence of cutaneous symptoms is predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Delta and Omicron waves and that this diagnostic value, along with symptom frequency and duration, differs between variants. We showed that infected vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals reported similar skin-related symptoms during the Delta and Omicron waves, with only burning rashes being less common after vaccination.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection have differed during the different waves of the pandemic but little is known about how cutaneous manifestations have changed.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the diagnostic value, frequency and duration of cutaneous manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to explore their variations between the Delta and Omicron waves of the pandemic.
METHODS
In this retrospective study, we used self-reported data from 348 691 UK users of the ZOE COVID Study app, matched 1 : 1 for age, sex, vaccination status and self-reported eczema diagnosis between the Delta and Omicron waves, to assess the diagnostic value, frequency and duration of five cutaneous manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection (acral, burning, erythematopapular and urticarial rash, and unusual hair loss), and how these changed between waves. We also investigated whether vaccination had any effect on symptom frequency.
RESULTS
We show a significant association between any cutaneous manifestations and a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, with a diagnostic value higher in the Delta compared with the Omicron wave (odds ratio 2·29, 95% confidence interval 2·22-2·36, P < 0·001; and odds ratio 1·29, 95% confidence interval 1·26-1·33, P < 0·001, respectively). Cutaneous manifestations were also more common with Delta vs. Omicron (17·6% vs. 11·4%, respectively) and had a longer duration. During both waves, cutaneous symptoms clustered with other frequent symptoms and rarely (in < 2% of the users) as first or only clinical sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Finally, we observed that vaccinated and unvaccinated users showed similar odds of presenting with a cutaneous manifestation, apart from burning rash, where the odds were lower in vaccinated users.
CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous manifestations are predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their frequency and duration have changed with different variants. Therefore, we advocate for their inclusion in the list of clinically relevant COVID-19 symptoms and suggest that their monitoring could help identify new variants. What is already known about this topic? Several studies during the wildtype COVID-19 wave reported that patients presented with common skin-related symptoms. It has been observed that COVID-19 symptoms differ among variants. No study has focused on how skin-related symptoms have changed across different variants. What does this study add? We showed, in a community-based retrospective study including over 348 000 individuals, that the presence of cutaneous symptoms is predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Delta and Omicron waves and that this diagnostic value, along with symptom frequency and duration, differs between variants. We showed that infected vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals reported similar skin-related symptoms during the Delta and Omicron waves, with only burning rashes being less common after vaccination.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35869671
doi: 10.1111/bjd.21784
pmc: PMC9349964
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
900-908Subventions
Organisme : Chronic Disease Research Foundation
Organisme : MRC/BHF
Organisme : Wellcome Trust
Pays : United Kingdom
Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
© 2022 The Authors. British Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.
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