tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Am J Otolaryngol
. 2020 Sep 10;41(6):102721.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102721. Online ahead of print.
Xerostomia, gustatory and olfactory dysfunctions in patients with COVID-19
Paolo J Fantozzi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emanuele Pampena[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Domenico Di Vanna[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eugenia Pellegrino[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daniele Corbi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Stefano Mammucari[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Federica Alessi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Riccardo Pampena[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Giuliano Bertazzoni[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Salvatore Minisola[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Claudio Maria Mastroianni[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Antonella Polimeni[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Umberto Romeo[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Alessandro Villa[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: The novel Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) continues to have profound effect on global health. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence and characterize specific symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Methods: This retrospective study included 326 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection evaluated at the Emergency Department of the Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital, Rome, Italy between March 6th and April 30th, 2020. In order to assess xerostomia, olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions secondary to COVID-19, a telephone-based a modified survey obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 for taste and smell disorders and the Fox Questionnaire for dry mouth were administered to 111 patients (34%) after discharge between June 4th and June 12th.
Results: Taste dysfunction was the most common reported symptom (59.5%; n = 66), followed by xerostomia (45.9%; n = 51) and olfactory dysfunctions (41.4%; n = 46). The most severe symptom was olfactory dysfunction with a median severity score of 8.5 (range: 5-10). Overall 74.5% (n = 38) of patients with xerostomia, 78.8% (n = 52) of patients with gustatory dysfunctions and 71.1% (n = 33) of patients with olfactory dysfunctions reported that all symptoms appeared before COVID-19 diagnosis. Overall, the majority of patients reported one symptom only (45.9%, n = 51), 37 (33.3%) reported the association of two symptoms, and 23 (20.7%) patients reported the association of three symptoms at the same time.
Conclusion: Xerostomia, gustatory and olfactory dysfunctions may present as a prodromal or as the sole manifestation of COVID-19. Awareness is fundamental to identify COVID-19 patients at an early stage of the disease and limit the spread of the virus.
Keywords: Anosmia; COVID-19; Dysgeusia; Oral diseases; Oral medicine; Public health; Xerostomia.
. 2020 Sep 10;41(6):102721.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102721. Online ahead of print.
Xerostomia, gustatory and olfactory dysfunctions in patients with COVID-19
Paolo J Fantozzi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emanuele Pampena[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Domenico Di Vanna[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eugenia Pellegrino[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daniele Corbi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Stefano Mammucari[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Federica Alessi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Riccardo Pampena[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Giuliano Bertazzoni[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Salvatore Minisola[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Claudio Maria Mastroianni[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Antonella Polimeni[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Umberto Romeo[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Alessandro Villa[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32977063
- DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102721
Abstract
Background: The novel Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) continues to have profound effect on global health. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence and characterize specific symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Methods: This retrospective study included 326 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection evaluated at the Emergency Department of the Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital, Rome, Italy between March 6th and April 30th, 2020. In order to assess xerostomia, olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions secondary to COVID-19, a telephone-based a modified survey obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 for taste and smell disorders and the Fox Questionnaire for dry mouth were administered to 111 patients (34%) after discharge between June 4th and June 12th.
Results: Taste dysfunction was the most common reported symptom (59.5%; n = 66), followed by xerostomia (45.9%; n = 51) and olfactory dysfunctions (41.4%; n = 46). The most severe symptom was olfactory dysfunction with a median severity score of 8.5 (range: 5-10). Overall 74.5% (n = 38) of patients with xerostomia, 78.8% (n = 52) of patients with gustatory dysfunctions and 71.1% (n = 33) of patients with olfactory dysfunctions reported that all symptoms appeared before COVID-19 diagnosis. Overall, the majority of patients reported one symptom only (45.9%, n = 51), 37 (33.3%) reported the association of two symptoms, and 23 (20.7%) patients reported the association of three symptoms at the same time.
Conclusion: Xerostomia, gustatory and olfactory dysfunctions may present as a prodromal or as the sole manifestation of COVID-19. Awareness is fundamental to identify COVID-19 patients at an early stage of the disease and limit the spread of the virus.
Keywords: Anosmia; COVID-19; Dysgeusia; Oral diseases; Oral medicine; Public health; Xerostomia.