Trend of Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients in a Quarantine Facility

Abstract

Background Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction has been reported as characteristic symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study evaluated olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in mild COVID-19 patients using validated assessment methods. Methods A prospective surveillance study was conducted for mild COVID-19 patients who were isolated at the Gyeonggi International Living and Treatment Support Center (LTSC), Korea. Olfactory function was assessed using the Korean version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (QOD) and Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT). Gustatory function was assessed using an 11-point Likert scale and 6-n-propylthiouracil, phenylthiocarbamide, and control strips. All patients underwent nasal and oral cavity endoscopic examination. Results Of the 62 patients at the LTSC, 15 patients (24.2%) complained of olfactory or gustatory dysfunction on admission. Four of 10 patients who underwent functional evaluation did not have general symptoms and 2 were asymptomatic. The mean short version of QOD-negative statements and QOD-visual analogue scale scores were 13 ± 6 and 4.7 ± 3.6, respectively. The mean CC-SIT score was 8 ± 2. No patients showed anatomical abnormalities associated with olfactory dysfunction on endoscopic examination. The mean Likert scale score for function was 8 ± 2, and there were no abnormal lesions in the oral cavity of any patient. Conclusions The prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction was 24.2% in mild COVID-19 patients. All patients had hyposmia due to sensorineural olfactory dysfunction, which was confirmed using validated olfactory and gustatory evaluation methods and endoscopic examination. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction may be characteristic indicators of mild COVID-19.

Taste loss as a distinct symptom of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Murat et al, 2020;Nakagawa et al, 2020Nakagawa et al, , 2020Nakakubo et al, 2020;Nakanishi et al, 2020;Noh et al, 2020;Otte et al, 2020;Ozcelik Korkmaz et al, 2020;Paderno et al, 2020;Patel et al, 2020;Perlman et al, 2020;Petersen et al, 2020;Petrocelli et al, 2020bPetrocelli et al, , 2020aPinna et al, 2020;Printza et al, 2020Printza et al, , 2021Qiu et al, 2020;Rajkumar et al, 2020;Ramteke et al, 2020Ramteke et al, , 2020Rojas-Lechuga et al, 2020;Roland et al, 2020;Romero-Sanchez et al, 2020; Rubel et al, 2020;Sakalli et al, 2020;Salepci et al, 2020;Sayin et al, 2020aSayin et al, , 2020bSchirinzi et al, 2020;Schmithausen et al, 2020;Seo et al, 2020;Shoer et al, 2020;Sierpinski et al, 2020;Smith et al, 2020;Somekh et al, 2020; Speth et al, 2020;Spinato et al, 2020;Stavem et al, 2020; Sun et al, 2020;Teklu et al, 2020;Tham et al, 2020;Tsivgou...…”

Impairment of olfactory and gustatory sensations in severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 virus) disease

“…Seo et al . [ 14 ] also observed olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in around 24.2% of positive patients presenting with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in their study. Evidence has also suggested that 95.8% of infected hosts of SARS-CoV-2 infection present with symptom of anosmia.…”

Treatment and Prognosis of COVID-19 Associated Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions

“…In particular, our authors published an article on 62 mild COVID-19 patients who were isolated in the Gyeonggi International Living and Treatment Support Center (LTSC) during the early stage of the pandemic (May 2020), reporting that 24.2% and 17.7% complained about subjective olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, respectively. Furthermore, when we performed an objective olfactory function evaluation using the Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT), we confirmed that all patients with reported olfactory dysfunction had a reduced sense of smell [ 6 ].…”

“…Last year, we published an article about the trend of olfactory dysfunction in mild COVID-19 patients. In this study, we reported that COVID-19 infection-associated olfactory dysfunction was regarded as having a sensory neural cause, characterized by a quantitative disorder (reduced or absence of olfaction), such as post-infectious olfactory dysfunction [ 6 ]. In the case of post-infectious olfactory dysfunction, the optimal treatment strategies remain unclear.…”