Incidence of Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions in the Early Stages of COVID-19: An Objective Evaluation

Kalsotra, Parmod

doi:10.1055/s-0042-1743274

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original Article • iao 26 (2) • Jul-Sep 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1743274 copy

Incidence of Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions in the Early Stages of COVID-19: An Objective Evaluation

About the SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a dangerous infectious disease caused by a newly discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has various clinical presentations. Numerable cases with non-specific olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in COVID-19 have been reported from all over the globe. This is important as awareness will let people to self-isolate and help in limiting disease spread.

Objective

To objectively evaluate the frequency of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, which may occur independently or with other symptoms, in laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients at an early stage of the disease.

Methods

Objective evaluation of olfactory and gustatory function of 322 COVID-19 patients treated at our hospital, (SMGS, Government Medical College, Jammu), from August 2020 until November 2020.

Results

Our study population included 127 (39.4%) males and 195 (60.6%) females. Two hundred and twenty-six (70.2%) COVID-19 patients experienced olfactory and gustatory disorders. One hundred and sixty-five (51.2%) cases experienced both olfactory and gustatory disorders. Isolated olfactory dysfunction was reported in 34 (10.6%) patients, while 27 (8.4%) patients experienced only gustatory dysfunction.

Conclusion

The olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions, without any nasal obstruction or rhinorrhea, are significant symptoms in the clinical presentation of early COVID-19 patients. This presentation can be recognized at the earliest one, and it can reduce the high communicability of the COVID-19 disease.

Keywords
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; anosmia; ageusia; olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OGD)

Olfactory scoring	Clinical diagnosis
10–7	Normal
3–6	Hyposmia
0–2	Anosmia

Gustatory scoring	Taste scoring system	Clinical diagnosis
10–7	4	Normal
5–6.9	3	Mild hypogeusia
3–4.9	2	Moderate hypogeusia
1–2.9	1	Severe hypogeusia
0–0.9	0	Ageusia

CHARACTERISTIC	VALUE
Gender (n (%))
-Male	127 (39.4)
-Female	195 (60.6)
Age (mean + SD (IQR); years)	39.7 +/− 11.7 (29.0–50.0)
Reported symptoms (n [%])
-Asymptomatic	39 (12.1)
-Fever	223 (69.3)
-Headache	133 (41.3)
-Myalgia	128 (39.8)
-Asthenia	109 (33.9)
-Cough	103 (32.0)
-Pneumonia	69 (21.4)
-Diarrhea	70 (21.7)
-Nausea	35 (10.9)
-Dyspnea	31 (9.6)
-Sore throat	51 (15.8)
-Conjunctivitis	10 (3.1)
-Mouth ulcers	52 (16.1)

PARAMETER	PATIENTS (n [%])
CHEMOSENSORY DYSFUNCTIONS
-Olfactory & taste disorders	165 (51.2)
-Only olfactory disorders	34 (10.6)
-Only taste disorders	27 (8.4)
-Total	226 (70.2)
-No taste or olfactory disorders	96 (29.8)
OLFACTORY DYSFUNCTIONS
-Anosmia	141 (43.8)
-Hyposmia	60 (18.6)
-Normosmia	121 (37.6)
GUSTATORY DYSFUNCTIONS
-Ageusia	119 (37.0)
-Severe hypogeusia	34 (10.6)
-Moderate hypogeusia	30 (9.3)
-Mild hypogeusia	11 (3.4)
-Normal	128 (39.7)

Parameter	Olfactory dysfunction (n [%])	No olfactory dysfunction (n [%])	Odds ratio	95% CI for OR		Fisher exact test value
Parameter	Olfactory dysfunction (n [%])	No olfactory dysfunction (n [%])	Odds ratio	Upper limit	Lower limit	Fisher exact test value
Gender^* * Dependent variable : olfactory dysfunction^# # Independent variable.
Female	120 (60.3)	75 (61.0)	1.029	0.649	1.630	0.904
Male	79 (39.7)	48 (39.0)	1.029	0.649	1.630	0.904
Age^* * Dependent variable : olfactory dysfunction^# # Independent variable.
< 50 years	159 (76.9)	85 (69.1)	0.563	0.336	0.943	0.028
> 50 years	40 (20.1)	38 (30.9)	0.563	0.336	0.943	0.028
Pneumonia^* * Dependent variable : olfactory dysfunction^# # Independent variable.
Pneumonia	46 (23.1)	23 (18.7)	1.307	0.746	2.289	0.350
No pneumonia	153(76.9)	100 (81.3)	1.307	0.746	2.289	0.350

Parameter	Gustatory dysfunction (n [%])	No gustatory dysfunction (n [%])	Odds ratio	95% CI for OR		Fisherexact test value
Parameter	Gustatory dysfunction (n [%])	No gustatory dysfunction (n [%])	Odds ratio	Upper limit	Lower limit	Fisherexact test value
Gender^* * Dependent variable : gustatory dysfunction^# # Independent variable.
Female	112 (58.0)	83 (64.3)	1.305	0.824	2.067	0.258
Male	84 (66.1)	43 (33.9)	1.305	0.824	2.067	0.258
Age^* * Dependent variable : gustatory dysfunction^# # Independent variable.
< 50 years	142 (73.6)	102 (17.8)	1.357	0.798	2.308	0.259
> 50 years	51 (26.4)	27 (20.9)	1.357	0.798	2.308	0.259
Pneumonia^* * Dependent variable : gustatory dysfunction^# # Independent variable.
Pneumonia	46 (23.8)	23 (17.8)	1.442	0.824	2.523	0.199
No pneumonia	147 (76.2)	106 (82.2)	1.442	0.824	2.523	0.199

Fundação Otorrinolaringologia R. Teodoro Sampaio, 483, 05405-000 São Paulo/SP Brasil, Tel.: (55 11) 3068-9855, Fax: (55 11) 3079-6769 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: iaorl@iaorl.org

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Address for correspondence Parmod Kalsotra, MS ENT (AIIMS), DNB, Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, SMGS Hospital, Government Medical College, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, 180001, India (drpkalsotra@yahoo.co.in).