tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Int Forum Allergy Rhinol
. 2021 Mar 16.
doi: 10.1002/alr.22788. Online ahead of print.
Systemic corticosteroids in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell dysfunction: an international view
Caroline Huart[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Carl M Philpott[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Aytug Altundag[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Alexander W Fjaeldstad[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Johannes Frasnelli[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Simon Gane[SUP] 9 10 [/SUP], Julien W Hsieh[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Eric H Holbrook[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Iordanis Konstantinidis[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Basile N Landis[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Alberto Macchi[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Christian A Mueller[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Simona Negoias[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Jayant M Pinto[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Sophia C Poletti[SUP] 18 [/SUP], Vijay R Ramakrishnan[SUP] 19 [/SUP], Philippe Rombaux[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jan Vodicka[SUP] 20 [/SUP], Antje Welge-L?essen[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Katherine L Whitcroft[SUP] 10 21 [/SUP], Thomas Hummel[SUP] 22 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The frequent association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and olfactory dysfunction is creating an unprecedented demand for a treatment of the olfactory loss. Systemic corticosteroids have been considered as a therapeutic option. However, based on current literature, we call for caution using these treatments in early COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction because: (1) evidence supporting their usefulness is weak; (2) the rate of spontaneous recovery of COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction is high; and (3) corticosteroids have well-known potential adverse effects. We encourage randomized placebo-controlled trials investigating the efficacy of systemic steroids in this indication and strongly emphasize to initially consider smell training, which is supported by a robust evidence base and has no known side effects.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; corticosteroids; olfaction disorder; smell.
. 2021 Mar 16.
doi: 10.1002/alr.22788. Online ahead of print.
Systemic corticosteroids in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell dysfunction: an international view
Caroline Huart[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Carl M Philpott[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Aytug Altundag[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Alexander W Fjaeldstad[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Johannes Frasnelli[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Simon Gane[SUP] 9 10 [/SUP], Julien W Hsieh[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Eric H Holbrook[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Iordanis Konstantinidis[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Basile N Landis[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Alberto Macchi[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Christian A Mueller[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Simona Negoias[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Jayant M Pinto[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Sophia C Poletti[SUP] 18 [/SUP], Vijay R Ramakrishnan[SUP] 19 [/SUP], Philippe Rombaux[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jan Vodicka[SUP] 20 [/SUP], Antje Welge-L?essen[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Katherine L Whitcroft[SUP] 10 21 [/SUP], Thomas Hummel[SUP] 22 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33728824
- DOI: 10.1002/alr.22788
Abstract
The frequent association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and olfactory dysfunction is creating an unprecedented demand for a treatment of the olfactory loss. Systemic corticosteroids have been considered as a therapeutic option. However, based on current literature, we call for caution using these treatments in early COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction because: (1) evidence supporting their usefulness is weak; (2) the rate of spontaneous recovery of COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction is high; and (3) corticosteroids have well-known potential adverse effects. We encourage randomized placebo-controlled trials investigating the efficacy of systemic steroids in this indication and strongly emphasize to initially consider smell training, which is supported by a robust evidence base and has no known side effects.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; corticosteroids; olfaction disorder; smell.