tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Int J Clin Pract
. 2021 Apr 22;e14260.
doi: 10.1111/ijcp.14260. Online ahead of print.
Clinical, SinoNasal, and Long-Term Smell and Taste Outcomes in Mildly Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients
Amjed Tarifi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Amjad A Al Shdaifat[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Abdel-Ellah M Al-Shudifat[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mohammed Azab[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ja'far Ismail[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rand Bashir[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Aous Amro[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ahmad Altarifi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Yousef Khader[SUP] 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Introduction: Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) has variable clinical, sinonasal, and smell/taste outcomes.
Methods: Observational study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Amman, Jordan. Demographic data, clinical presentation, and smoking status were collected. Sinonasal symptoms, using Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) Questionnaire, were evaluated. Smell/taste dysfunction was followed for three months.
Results: Ninety-Seven patients had satisfactory responses. Eighty-six patients were symptomatic (41 at presentation, and 45 during admission). Among those patients, 59.3% had cough, 52.3% sore throat, and 48.8% fever. The most common initial symptom was sore throat. Shortness of breath and smell/taste dysfunction were significantly higher in females. Surprisingly, shortness of breath was more common in non-smokers. Smell/taste dysfunction affected 25.6 % of patients, but was the first symptom in only one patient. Fourteen out of 22 symptoms in SNOT-22 had significant increase. The overall average of symptoms scores increased from 0.472 to 1.034, with smell/taste dysfunction to have the most increment. The latter symptom recovered completely in 81% and dysgeusia developed in 9.5% at three months, and itrecovered completely in all patients at six months.
Conclusion: Although COVID-19 may produce severe lower airways disease, it has modest effect on nose and paranasal sinuses. Moreover, smell/taste dysfunction is a prominent symptom, but it usually recovers dramatically.
Keywords: COVID-19; dysgeusia; olfaction; sinonasal; smell; taste.
. 2021 Apr 22;e14260.
doi: 10.1111/ijcp.14260. Online ahead of print.
Clinical, SinoNasal, and Long-Term Smell and Taste Outcomes in Mildly Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients
Amjed Tarifi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Amjad A Al Shdaifat[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Abdel-Ellah M Al-Shudifat[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mohammed Azab[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ja'far Ismail[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rand Bashir[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Aous Amro[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ahmad Altarifi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Yousef Khader[SUP] 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33884722
- DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.14260
Abstract
Introduction: Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) has variable clinical, sinonasal, and smell/taste outcomes.
Methods: Observational study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Amman, Jordan. Demographic data, clinical presentation, and smoking status were collected. Sinonasal symptoms, using Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) Questionnaire, were evaluated. Smell/taste dysfunction was followed for three months.
Results: Ninety-Seven patients had satisfactory responses. Eighty-six patients were symptomatic (41 at presentation, and 45 during admission). Among those patients, 59.3% had cough, 52.3% sore throat, and 48.8% fever. The most common initial symptom was sore throat. Shortness of breath and smell/taste dysfunction were significantly higher in females. Surprisingly, shortness of breath was more common in non-smokers. Smell/taste dysfunction affected 25.6 % of patients, but was the first symptom in only one patient. Fourteen out of 22 symptoms in SNOT-22 had significant increase. The overall average of symptoms scores increased from 0.472 to 1.034, with smell/taste dysfunction to have the most increment. The latter symptom recovered completely in 81% and dysgeusia developed in 9.5% at three months, and itrecovered completely in all patients at six months.
Conclusion: Although COVID-19 may produce severe lower airways disease, it has modest effect on nose and paranasal sinuses. Moreover, smell/taste dysfunction is a prominent symptom, but it usually recovers dramatically.
Keywords: COVID-19; dysgeusia; olfaction; sinonasal; smell; taste.