Comparing demographics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 lesions versus hospital-acquired pressure ulcers/injuries during the first year of COVID-19.

Background: As COVID-19 has emerged as a pandemic virus, multiple reports have surfaced to describe skin lesions that occur either associated with the virus or due to treatment.

Objective: To compare patient demographics, treatments, and outcomes in COVID-19 symptomatic patients who developed skin lesions (COVID-19 or hospital-acquired pressure ulcer/injury [HAPU/I]) during the first year of the pandemic.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on COVID-positive symptomatic patients admitted from March 1, 2020, through March 1, 2021. The authors analyzed the difference in patient demographics, patient skin tones, treatments, hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, death, and discharge disposition for those with COVID-19 lesions compared to those who developed HAPU/Is.

Results: Of those who developed lesions, 2.3% developed COVID-19 lesions and 7.2% developed HAPU/Is. Patients with COVID-19 lesions were more likely to be male (64%), younger (median age 60), and had a higher BMI (30) than patients with no wounds and patients with HAPU/I.

Conclusion: This study advances the knowledge of the patient demographics and treatments that may contribute to identifying the new phenomenon of COVID lesions and how they differ from HAPU/Is.