Manifestaciones dermatológicas en los profesionales de la salud asociadas al uso de equipo de protección personal para la atención de los pacientes con infección por COVID-19 en los hospitales del área metropolitana de la ciudad de México

BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease-2019 (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019, thousands of healthcare workers have faced this highly contagious disease; For its handling, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) consisting of masks, goggles and protective clothing is needed for long periods of time, generating the appearance of various skin manifestations (pressure injuries, contact dermatitis, urticaria and exacerbation of pre-existing skin diseases). OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency of cutaneous manifestations caused by the use of PPE in healthcare workers and the risk factors for developing them. METHODOLOGY: From June 4 to 14, 2020; 1,000 surveys were distributed online to health workers from 12 hospitals in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. Results. 78% showed dermatological alterations associated with PPE, mainly xerosis, scaling and erythema, with greater involvement in the hands, the nasal bridge and the cheeks, usually accompanied by itching and pain. There was a relationship between the use of PPE and the exacerbation of dermatological diseases, mainly rosacea (OR 2.96). It was shown that the alcohol gel increased 1.8 and 2 times the risk of presenting xerosis and fissures respectively, with an association (OR 2.3) between constant hand washing and xerosis. CONCLUSION: The exacerbation and increase of dermatosis associated with the use of PPE and the associated factors for its appearance were observed.