Original Article   

Minerva Pediatrics 2022 Mar 23

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5276.22.06800-8

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Acrocyanosis in a large italian pediatric series during the Covid-19 pandemic

Francesca SOSCIA ¹ ✉, Francesca ARDENTI MORINI ¹, Elisabetta CORTIS ¹, Federica FERRARI ¹, Fortunata S. CIVITELLI ¹, Antonella MARCOCCIA ²

¹ Pediatric Unit, Sant’Eugenio Hospital, ASL Roma 2, Rome, Italy; ² Medical Vascular Autoimmunity Unit, Sandro Pertini Hospital, ASL Roma 2, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV2 infection may present at onset with cutaneous manifestations as chilblains, pernio-like lesions characterized by rapid onset, itching, pain and tenderness and quick improvement with re-warming as similarly observed in primary acrocyanosis. The purpose of the present study was to detect in a single institution series of pediatric patients, during COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of acrocyanosis compared to previous period and an eventual correlation with SARS-Cov2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection or other secondary etiologies of this disorder.
METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the prevalence of pediatric patients with acrocyanosis between January 2020 and July 2021, compared to the same period of previous year. All patients were investigated with capillaroscopies, clinical and laboratory texts. Those patients referred to our Institution, during the Covid-19 pandemic were also examined for SARS-CoV2 serologies to find out an eventual specific correlation with this secondary potential etiology.
RESULTS: During the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic we observed an increased prevalence of this manifestation. The analysis showed that the higher prevalence of patients with acrocyanosis, in this period, was not related to SARS-Cov2 infection.
CONCLUSIONS: The acrocyanosis in pediatric patients is rarely associated with rheumatological diseases, being more frequently a primary disorder and strictly related to a sedentary lifestyle.

KEY WORDS: Acrocyanosis; Capillaroscopy; Covid-19; Rheumatology