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Olfactory and gustatory function impairment in COVID ‐19 patients: Italian objective multicenter‐study
Author(s) -
Vaira Luigi Angelo,
Hopkins Claire,
Salzano Giovanni,
Petrocelli Marzia,
Melis Andrea,
Cucurullo Marco,
Ferrari Mario,
Gagliardini Laura,
Pipolo Carlotta,
Deiana Giovanna,
Fiore Vito,
De Vito Andrea,
Turra Nicola,
Canu Sara,
Maglio Angelantonio,
Serra Antonello,
Bussu Francesco,
Madeddu Giordano,
Babudieri Sergio,
Giuseppe Fois Alessandro,
Pirina Pietro,
Salzano Francesco A.,
De Riu Pierluigi,
Biglioli Federico,
De Riu Giacomo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.26269
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , anosmia , medicine , covid-19 , multicenter study , cohort , cohort study , disease , severity of illness , olfactory system , pediatrics , audiology , psychiatry , pathology , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty) , randomized controlled trial
Background Objective data on chemosensitive disorders during COVID‐19 are lacking in the Literature. Methods Multicenter cohort study that involved four Italian hospitals. Three hundred and forty‐five COVID‐19 patients underwent objective chemosensitive evaluation. Results Chemosensitive disorders self‐reported by 256 patients (74.2%) but the 30.1% of the 89 patients who did not report dysfunctions proved objectively hyposmic. Twenty‐five percentage of patients were seen serious long‐lasting complaints. All asymptomatic patients had a slight lowering of the olfactory threshold. No significant correlations were found between the presence and severity of chemosensitive disorders and the severity of the clinical course. On the contrary, there is a significant correlation between the duration of the olfactory and gustatory symptoms and the development of severe COVID‐19. Conclusions Patients under‐report the frequency of chemosensitive disorders. Contrary to recent reports, such objective testing refutes the proposal that the presence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction may predict a milder course, but instead suggests that those with more severe disease neglect such symptoms in the setting of severe respiratory disease.