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After the global spread of the Corona epidemic early last year, a wave of patients with swollen toes, some of them on their hands, has caused confusion among the scientific community.
The reason for the confusion was that many of those who had this condition expressed a loss of their senses of smell and taste, although most of them were also found not to be infected with the Corona virus. and most of those with swelling in the toes were tired and young, according to the New York Times.
If infected, toes appear red or purple in Caucasian people, while they are often purple or brown in people of color, and cause a painful burning or itchy sensation, and it is sometimes difficult for the patient to wear shoes or walk. because of them.
A French study published in the British Journal of Dermatology on Tuesday shed light on the condition that has become called “Covid fingers”, and indicated that these symptoms may be one of the side effects of the immune system’s shift to a high alert state. in response to exposure to the virus, which can damage cells and tissues in the process.
French researchers first analyzed blood samples and skin biopsies in April 2020 from 50 patients with symptoms resembling frostbite, who were referred to Saint Louis Hospital in the French capital, Paris.
According to the study, just over half of the patients had other symptoms indicative of an emerging coronavirus infection, such as cough, shortness of breath, and loss of smell, but all of their PCR tests proved that they were not infected with Covid. -19.
The study indicated that the samples had high levels of type 1 interferon, a protein that activates the body’s immune system to fight viruses, but this can also cause collateral damage, as the researchers also found levels high levels of antibodies that can unintentionally attack cells in the body. .
The study suggests that abnormal changes in the walls of blood vessels may also play a role in the appearance of swollen toes or hands.
The study authors say that although the relationship between emerging coronavirus infection and the emergence of a condition similar to swollen toes and hands in some is still controversial, “the record number of infections in 2020 strongly indicates that this disorder is closely linked to COVID-19 infection ”.
The new study suggested that treating “Covid fingers” with topical or systemic anti-inflammatory drugs may be effective.
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