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Clinical and Radiological Evaluations of COVID ‐19 Patients With Anosmia: Preliminary Report
Author(s) -
Lechien Jerome R.,
Michel Justin,
Radulesco Thomas,
ChiesaEstomba Carlos M.,
Vaira Luigi A.,
De Riu Giacomo,
Sowerby Leigh,
Hopkins Claire,
Saussez Sven
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.28993
Subject(s) - anosmia , medicine , hyposmia , radiological weapon , covid-19 , abnormality , olfactory system , etiology , radiology , disease , psychiatry , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Objectives/Hypothesis To investigate clinical and radiological features of olfactory clefts of patients with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Study Design Prospective non controlled study. Methods Sixteen COVID‐19 patients were recruited. The epidemiological and clinical data were extracted. Nasal complaints were assessed through the 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test. Patients underwent psychophysical olfactory testing, olfactory cleft examination, and computed tomography (CT) scans. Results Sixteen anosmic patients were included. The mean Sniffin' Sticks score was 4.6 ± 1.7. The majority of patients had no endoscopical abnormality, with a mean olfactory cleft endoscopy score of 0.6 ± 0.9. The olfactory clefts were opacified in three patients on the CT scan. The mean radiological olfactory cleft score was 0.7 ± 0.8. There were no significant correlations between clinical, radiological, and psychophysical olfactory testing. Conclusions The olfactory cleft of anosmic COVID‐19 patients is free regarding endoscopic examination and imaging. The anosmia etiology is not related to edema of the olfactory cleft. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope , 130:2526–2531, 2020