Open AccessChemosensory Dysfunction in COVID‐19: Prevalences, Recovery Rates, and Clinical Associations on a Large Brazilian Sample
Author(s) -
Brandão Neto Deusdedit,
Fornazieri Marco Aurélio,
Dib Caroline,
Di Francesco Renata Cantisani,
Doty Richard L.,
Voegels Richard Louis,
Rezende Pinna Fabio
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.232
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1097-6817
pISSN - 0194-5998
DOI - 10.1177/0194599820954825
Subject(s) - anosmia , medicine , covid-19 , taste , olfaction , dysgeusia , cohort , prospective cohort study , cohort study , olfactory system , audiology , pediatrics , disease , psychology , psychiatry , biology , food science , adverse effect , neuroscience , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Objective Our study aimed to measure the percentage of reported olfactory or taste losses and their severity, recovery time, and association with other features in a large cohort of patients with COVID‐19. Study Design Prospective survey. Setting Quaternary medical center and online survey. Methods The perceived chemosensory capacities of 655 patients with confirmed COVID‐19 were assessed with 11‐point category rating scales (0, no function; 10, normal function). Patients were contacted in hospital, by phone calls, or by internet regarding their ability to smell or taste, and 143 were interviewed by phone 1 to 4 months later to assess the recovery of their chemosensory abilities. Results The prevalence of self‐reported olfactory, general taste, and taste quality–specific disturbances (sweet, sour, bitter, and salty) in the patients with COVID‐19 were 82.4% (95% CI, 79.5%‐85.3%), 76.2% (95% CI, 72.9%‐79.4%), and 52.2% (95% CI, 48.3%‐56.1%), respectively. The majority reported anosmia (42.9%). The presence of chemosensory symptoms was not associated with COVID‐19 severity. At a median time >2 months after the onset of symptoms, rates of total and partial olfaction recovery were 53.8% and 44.7%, while complete or partial return to previous taste function was 68.3% and 27.6%. Less than 5% of the patients reported no chemosensory function improvement at all. Conclusion The prevalence of self‐reported chemosensory dysfunction is high among patients with COVID‐19. Almost all patients seem to recover a significant part of their smell and taste abilities in the first 4 months after the onset of symptoms.