Abstract
Post-SARS-CoV-2 telogen effluvium has been described in case reports of COVID-19 patients. We evaluated the prevalence of post-SARS-CoV-2 telogen effluvium in patients from a single medical center, exploring any causal links with the infection. Our hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted with patient participants discharged with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia from 1 March to 4 April 2020. All patients were evaluated by the same senior dermatologist; a clinical/dermatoscopic evaluation was performed. Alopecia was assessed in 31.3% of patients, with a significant difference in sex (females 73%, males 26.7%). The average time detected from the onset of the first symptoms to alopecia was 68.43 days. Overall, there were no significant associations between alopecia and COVID-19-related features (length of hospitalization, virologic positivity, or duration of fever), treatment characteristics, or laboratory findings. In this paper, we report that post-infection acute telogen effluvium occurs in a significant number of COVID-19 patients. The burden of this condition may impair the quality of life, with a significant impact on individuals.
Highlights
Introduction iationsIn December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)—caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a positive-sense singlestranded RNA virus—was reported as a public health emergency of international concern [1]
Previous short reports on a limited number of patients showed an increase in the incidence of post-SARS-CoV-2 telogen effluvium” (TE) [20], with particular reference to some ethnic groups [20]
We report a higher incidence of TE in patients after SARS-CoV-2, with about one-third of them presenting with this condition
Summary
In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)—caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a positive-sense singlestranded RNA virus—was reported as a public health emergency of international concern [1]. COVID-19 rapidly spread from China to the entire world, affecting from January to. June 2020, over 22 million people across 215 countries [2]. No specific treatment is yet available for COVID-19, and patient management relies on supportive care [3]. 31 to 41.8% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients rapidly develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), with an increased risk of death [4,5]. Patient deterioration is likely related to a dysregulated systemic inflammation [6], due to the increase in the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines [7]. Patients with ARDS are admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) with severe hypoxemia, extrapulmonary organ failures, and a marked inflammatory
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