Chemosensory Dysfunctions Induced by COVID-19 Can Persist up to 7 Months: A Study of Over 700 Healthcare Workers.
Chem Senses
; 462021 01 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34423831
ABSTRACT
Several studies have revealed either self-reported chemosensory alterations in large groups or objective quantified chemosensory impairments in smaller populations of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. However, due to the great variability in published results regarding COVID-19-induced chemosensory impairments and their follow-up, prognosis for chemosensory functions in patients with such complaints remains unclear. Our objective is to describe the various chemosensory alterations associated with COVID-19 and their prevalence and evolution after infection. A cross-sectional study of 704 healthcare workers with a RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between 2020 February 28 and 2020 June 14 was conducted 3-7 months after onset of symptoms. Data were collected with an online questionnaire. Outcomes included differences in reported chemosensory self-assessment of olfactory, gustatory, and trigeminal functions across time points and Chemosensory Perception Test scores from an easy-to-use at-home self-administered chemosensory test. Among the 704 participants, 593 (84.2%) were women, the mean (SD) age was 42 (12) years, and the questionnaire was answered on average 4.8 (0.8) months after COVID-19. During COVID-19, a decrease in olfactory, gustatory, and trigeminal sensitivities was reported by 81.3%, 81.5%, and 48.0%, respectively. Three to 7 months later, reduced sensitivity was still reported by 52.0%, 41.9%, and 23.3%, respectively. Chemosensory Perception Test scores indicate that 19.5% of participants had objective olfactory impairment. These data suggest a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases have persistent chemosensory impairments at 3-7 months after their infection, but the majority of those who had completely lost their olfactory, gustatory, and trigeminal sensitivities have improved.
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Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Distúrbios do Paladar
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COVID-19
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Transtornos do Olfato
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
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Etiology_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article