Chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19 out-patients

Abstract

Background Since the outbreak in China due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) various studies have been published describing olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OGD). Objective The aim was to investigate the frequency and severity of OGD in SARS-CoV-2 (+) out-patients compared to controls with common cold/flu like symptoms and two negative RT-PCR. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study on SARS-CoV-2-positive out-patients ( n = 197) and controls ( n = 107) from five Spanish Hospitals. Severity of OGD was categorized by visual analogue scale (VAS). Frequency and severity of the chemosensory impairment were analyzed. Results The frequencies of smell (70.1%) and taste loss (65%) were significantly higher among COVID-19 subjects than in the controls (20.6% and 19.6%, respectively). Simultaneous OGD was more frequent in the COVID-19 group (61.9% vs 10.3%) and they scored higher in VAS for severity of OGD than controls. In the COVID-19 group, OGD was predominant in young subjects 46.5 ± 14.5 and females (63.5%). Subjects with severe loss of smell were younger (42.7 years old vs 45.5 years old), and recovered later (median = 7, IQR = 5.5 vs median = 4, IQR = 3) than those with mild loss of smell. Subjects with severe loss of taste, recovered later in days (median = 7, IQR = 6 vs median = 2, IQR = 2), compared to those with mild loss. Conclusion OGD is a prevalent symptom in COVID-19 subjects with significant differences compared to controls. It was predominant in young and females subjects. Stratified analysis by the severity of OGD showed that more than 60% of COVID-19 subjects presented a severe OGD who took a longer time to recover compared to those with mild symptoms.

Possibilities for Maintaining Appetite in Recovering COVID-19 Patients

“…Chemosensory dysfunction is common when suffering from COVID-19 [ 2 , 4 ], and as other studies indicate, the majority of COVID-19 patients suffered from chemosensory dysfunction, either in the acute phase, or the sequelae thereof. Specifically, olfactory and gustatory impairments are common among COVID-19 patients, both when reviewing the literature [ 27 , 28 ], and when looking at the participants of the present study. In the present study, the frequency of a combined olfactory and gustatory loss was more common, than suffering from gustatory or olfactory loss separately, which was also the results of a recent study [ 28 ].…”

Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions as a Clinical Manifestation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in a Malaysian Tertiary Center

“…23,24 It is noteworthy that, younger patients were more susceptible to develop OGD in our study which has been mentioned in several other studies. 25,26 We postulate that, older patients are more prone to develop severe, life-threatening manifestations, hence OGD is overlooked or not recognized. Additionally, younger patients are more sensitive to OGD alteration.…”

Oral Symptoms Associated with COVID-19 and Their Pathogenic Mechanisms: A Literature Review

“…Petrocelli et al [ 90 ] characterized gustatory dysfunction at an early stage of COVID-19 and indicated that the prevalences of ageusia, severe hypogeusia, moderate hypogeusia, and mild hypogeusia are 38.0%, 7.3%, 10.1%, and 6.0%, respectively. In two multicenter cross-sectional studies of Spanish COVID-19 patients [ 83 , 101 ], severe, moderate, and mild taste loss were present in 52.9–65.6%, 28.1–37.1%, and 6.3–10.0%, respectively. Taste loss of Brazilian patients was composed of severe, moderate and mild symptom to show the prevalences of 45.5%, 23.4%, and 7.8%, respectively [ 105 ].…”