#SciComm summaries for @DermTalks!

The #COVID #dermatology registry by @DrEstherFreeman

In the 4th @DermTalks seminar, Dr. Esther Freeman from @harvardmed spoke about her efforts tracking #skin symptoms in #COVID patients

What is a medical #registry? A collection of information that is organized so that the data in it can be analyzed. This helps doctors and scientists look for trends to better understand how to treat patients and manage #diseases.

In collaboration with @AADskin and @ILDSDerm, @DrEstherFreeman created a #dermatology registry to track #skin rashes in #COVID patients.
Formation of the registry took only 9 days! After 1mo, they had cataloged 500 cases. Now it's over 1,000 cases from 41 countries!

Why make a registry of #COVID skin rashes? @DrEstherFreeman says it can (1) have a global reach, (2) bring together different observations, (3) help doctors and scientists learn about what the virus is doing in the body.

In mild #COVID, some patients develop #COVIDtoes, or purple discoloration on their toes. On average, this happens about 4wk after infection, so many patients no longer test positive for the virus by nasal swab.

Some patients have experienced this purple rash again after being out in cold weather, even though they had no evidence of being reinfected with the virus. @DrEstherFreeman & colleagues think #COVID may trigger an #autoimmune reaction, similar to a condition called Pernio.

In severe #COVID, many patients develop rashes all over their bodies. Doctors think this reflects blood clotting problems caused by the virus.

Most #COVID skin rashes last about 15 days, but some patients have rashes up to 8 or 9 months! Anything over 60 days is considered long-lasting. Maybe we can learn something about #longCOVID & #longhaulers from their skin?

Missed out on the live seminar? Catch it here!

Tagging #dermtwitter #dermscience #medtwitter @DrEstherFreeman @harvardmed