Researchers Uncover Underlying Mechanisms Behind “COVID Toes”

By Wiley October 5, 2021

Redness and swelling of the hands and toes, also called chilblains, have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new study published in the British Journal of Dermatology reveals the underlying mechanisms involved in such “COVID toe” symptoms.

The study included 50 participants with COVID toes and 13 with similar chilblains lesions that developed before the pandemic. The mechanisms behind both types involve an immune response with high levels of certain autoantibodies and type I interferon, a key protein in the antiviral response.

In addition to the immune system, endothelial cells that line blood vessels have also been shown to play a critical role in the development of COVID toes and chilblains.

“The epidemiology and clinical features of chilblain lesions have been extensively studied and published, but little is known about the pathophysiology involved,” said senior author Charles Cassius, MD, of Hôpital Saint-Louis, in Paris, France. “Our research provides new insights.”

Reference: Oct 6, 2021, British Journal of Dermatology.
DOI: 10.1111/bjd.20707