Toes can be telling sign of lasting impact of Covid says new research into condition

Research by the International League of Dermatological Societies and the American Academy of Dermatology found some patients had chilblain-like inflammation on their feet, sometimes lasting for months at a time.

The condition, known as Covid toes, typically develops within a week to four weeks of being infected and can result in toes becoming swollen or changing colour.

Scientists have also discovered that about one in six people require hospital treatment, while some of those with “long Covid” symptoms report cases lasting for several months.

Dr Esther Freeman, principal investigator of the International Covid-19 Dermatology Registry, the collaboration between the two research bodies, said: “It seems there is a certain sub-group of patients that, when they get Covid, they develop inflammation in their toes, which turns them red and swollen, and then they eventually turn purple.

“In most cases, it is self-resolved and it goes away. It is relatively mild.

“It lasts on average about 15 days. But we have seen patients lasting a month or two months.”

She added: “What is very surprising is when you get beyond that 60-day mark – because it’s not like patients are resolving at day 70.

“It’s the fact that some of our patients are at over 150 days now – these are patients with red or purple or swollen toes for many months.”

Dr Freeman said the identification of people with Covid toes symptoms – including some in the UK – helps scientists understand more about coronavirus-related symptoms elsewhere in the body.

She said: “We are starting to see long Covid in other organ systems, this is the first time we are recognising this can happen in the skin as well.

“I think it raises a lot of questions about what sort of inflammation is going on – is there inflammation elsewhere in the body?

“We don’t really know the answer yet.

“The skin can be viewed as a window into the rest of the body because it is inflammation which you can see – and can be indicative of inflammation elsewhere.”

The figures are submitted by doctors treating patients with skin issues in dozens of countries around the world, meaning there are potentially many people with Covid toes who have not sought medical help.

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