How to differentiate skin lesions caused by COVID-19
itself from those secondary to drug hypersensitivity during the
treatment of the disease?
COVID-19-induced skin lesions can be related to thrombovascular events
(i.e. petechiae, acro-ischemia, dry gangrene) or to typical viral
infections (i.e. erythematous rash, urticaria, maculopapular
exanthema).146 Drug hypersensitivity has to be
considered as a differential diagnosis, mainly in the second group,
being a distinction difficult during the acute phase. Diagnosis relies
mostly on clinical observations. In that regard, an accurate chronology
of the reaction and the drug exposure timeline is very
informative52. Laboratory and histopathological
findings may also help.