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- Title
Retronasal olfactory testing in early diagnosed and suspected COVID-19 patients: a 7-week follow-up study.
- Authors
Prem, Bernhard; Liu, David Tianxiang; Besser, Gerold; Renner, Bertold; Mueller, Christian Albert
- Abstract
Objectives: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) constitutes a major symptom in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Yet, most data on smell loss rely on the evaluation of orthonasal olfactory performance. Therefore, we aimed to assess retronasal olfactory function (ROF) over a period of several weeks in proven and suspected COVID-19 patients. Methods: One hundred and one subjects with suspected or laboratory-proven COVID-19 participated in this study. In patients with OD no longer than 4 weeks after initial symptom onset, ROF was measured with the 7-item Candy Smell Test ten times over 7 weeks. Results: Olfactory function was decreased in the investigated patients and remained decreased over the course of 7 weeks. One-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference of ROF between different measurement time points. However, self-assessment of smell and flavour improved significantly (p = 0.013 and p = 0.043), but did not show complete recovery. Conclusion: The current investigation revealed significant improvements in subjective smell and flavour perception over the course of 7 weeks in proven and suspected COVID-19 patients suffering from acute OD. However, objectively measured ROF based on a screening test revealed no improvements within the same time period.
- Subjects
SMELL disorders; COVID-19; SYMPTOMS; OLFACTOMETRY; DIAGNOSIS; ONE-way analysis of variance
- Publication
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 2022, Vol 279, Issue 1, p257
- ISSN
0937-4477
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00405-021-06826-1