Capillaroscopy in COVID-19

Abstract

The infectious disease COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) and in some cases with post-infectious manifestations in persons who survived the infection. The vascular tropism of SARS-CoV-2 is the basis for the interest in using nailfold capillaroscopy to assess the microcirculation in children and adults who have recovered from COVID-19. Most often, non-specific changes are observed, without certain manifestations of microangiopathy and without a specific combination of microvascular findings, on the basis of which to define a specific capillaroscopic picture of the "COVID - 19" type. The possibility that capillaroscopy in combination with other findings can be used for personalized approach and determination of prognosis in patients with post-COVID syndrome needs further studies.