MADRID, Spain – Changes in the tongue, hands or soles of the feet could give an early indication of Covid-19 infection, Spanish researchers found in a study presented on Tuesday.
The findings came from research conducted on 666 patients with Covid-19 at the IFEMA field hospital in Madrid set up during the first pandemic wave, the regional government said.
One in four patients said they noticed changes in their tongue, while four in 10 noticed unusual marks on the palms or soles of the feet.
The study was conducted in April by health professionals at Madrid’s La Paz Hospital and primary care services, and the results were published in the British Journal of Dermatology in the form of a “research letter” in September.
Some patients have reported swelling of the tongue and the appearance of patches, in what has been dubbed the “Covid tongue”, which has often been associated with a loss of taste.
Another symptom was a burning and redness in the palms or soles of the feet, which in some cases was followed by small spots.
“Almost half of the patients with mild to moderate Covid-19, who were hospitalized in a field hospital for a period of two weeks, had mucocutaneous findings,” the letter said.
“The oral cavity has been frequently involved and deserves specific examination in appropriate circumstances to avoid the risk of contagion.”
du / hmw / mg / bp
© Agence France-Presse
COVID-19, coronavirus, odor loss, taste loss, COVID tongue, covide symptoms, Madrid, Spain, COVID-19 symptoms, symptoms