nach oben

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

Erschienen in:

16.09.2023 | Short Communication

Evaluating long-term smell or taste dysfunction in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients: a 3-year follow-up study

verfasst von: Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo, Giacomo Spinato, Claire Hopkins, Riccardo Marzolino, Angelo Cavicchia, Simone Zucchini, Daniele Borsetto, Jerome R. Lechien, Luigi Angelo Vaira, Giancarlo Tirelli

Erschienen in: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology | Ausgabe 12/2023

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Abstract

Introduction

No studies have reported data on 3-year prevalence and recovery rates of self-reported COVID-19-related olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to estimate the 3-year prevalence and recovery rate of self-reported COVID-19-related chemosensory dysfunction in a cohort of patients with antecedent mild COVID-19.

Methods

This is a prospective observational study, measuring the prevalence of altered sense of smell or taste at follow-up and their variation from baseline, on adult patients consecutively assessed at Treviso and Trieste University Hospitals, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by polymerase chain reaction during March 2020.

Results

Overall, out of 403 respondents, 267 patients (66.3%) reported an altered sense of smell or taste (SNOT-22 > 0) at baseline, while 56 (13.9%), 29 (7.2%), and 21 (5.2%) reported such alterations at 6–24 months, 2 years, and 3 years, respectively. Among the 267 patients with COVID-19-associated smell or taste dysfunction at baseline, 246 (92.1%) reported complete resolution at 3 years. Of the patients who still experienced smell or taste dysfunction 2 years after COVID-19, 27.6% and 37.9% recovered completely and partially, respectively, at the 3-year follow-up.

Conclusion

Among subjects with antecedent mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, the 3-year prevalence and recovery rate of COVID-19-related alteration in sense of smell or taste was 5% and 92%, respectively. In approximately two-thirds of patients experiencing chemosensory dysfunction still 2 years after COVID-19, it is still possible to observe a delayed complete or partial recovery after a period of 3 years, while the remaining one-third of individuals continues to have unchanged persistent chemosensory alteration.

Spinato G, Fabbris C, Polesel J et al (2020) Alterations in smell or taste in mildly symptomatic outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. JAMA 323:2089–2090. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.6771CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, De Siati DR et al (2020) Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions as a clinical presentation of mild-to-moderate forms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a multicenter European study. Eur Arch Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Off J Eur Fed Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Soc EUFOS Affil Ger Soc Oto-Rhino-Laryngol - Head Neck Surg. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05965-1CrossRef

Vaira LA, Deiana G, Fois AG et al (2020) Objective evaluation of anosmia and ageusia in COVID-19 patients: single-center experience on 72 cases. Head Neck. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.26204CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Boscolo-Rizzo P, Hummel T, Invitto S et al (2023) Psychophysical assessment of olfactory and gustatory function in post-mild COVID-19 patients: a matched case-control study with two-year follow-up. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.23148CrossRefPubMed

Addison AB, Wong B, Ahmed T et al (2021) Clinical Olfactory Working Group consensus statement on the treatment of postinfectious olfactory dysfunction. J Allergy Clin Immunol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2020.12.641CrossRefPubMed

Vaira LA, Gessa C, Deiana G et al (2022) The effects of persistent olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions on quality of life in long-COVID-19 patients. Life 12:141. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12020141CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Croy I, Nordin S, Hummel T (2014) Olfactory disorders and quality of life—an updated review. Chem Senses 39:185–194. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjt072CrossRefPubMed

Ma Y, Deng J, Liu Q et al (2023) Long-term consequences of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health 20:1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021613CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Boscolo-Rizzo P, Fabbris C, Polesel J et al (2022) Two-year prevalence and recovery rate of altered sense of smell or taste in patients with mildly symptomatic COVID-19. JAMA Otolaryngol Neck Surg. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2022.1983CrossRef

10.

Boscolo-Rizzo P, Tofanelli M, Zanelli E et al (2022) COVID-19-related quantitative and qualitative olfactory and gustatory dysfunction: long-term prevalence and recovery rate. ORL J Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Its Relat Spec. https://doi.org/10.1159/000525861CrossRef

11.

Hopkins C, Gillett S, Slack R et al (2009) Psychometric validity of the 22-item sinonasal outcome test. Clin Otolaryngol Off J ENT-UK Off J Neth Soc Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Cervico-Facial Surg 34:447–454. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-4486.2009.01995.xCrossRef

12.

Vaira LA, Lechien JR, Deiana G et al (2022) Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in D614G, alpha, delta and omicron waves: a psychophysical case-control study. Rhinology. https://doi.org/10.4193/Rhin22.294CrossRef

13.

Boscolo-Rizzo P, Tirelli G, Meloni P et al (2022) Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell and taste impairment with widespread diffusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.22995CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

14.

Butowt R, Bilinska K, Von Bartheld CS (2020) Chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19: integration of genetic and epidemiological data points to D614G spike protein variant as a contributing factor. ACS Chem Neurosci 11:3180–3184. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00596CrossRefPubMed

15.

von Bartheld CS, Wang L (2023) Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction with the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cells 12:430. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12030430CrossRef

16.

Shelton JF, Shastri AJ, Fletez-Brant K et al (2022) The UGT2A1/UGT2A2 locus is associated with COVID-19-related loss of smell or taste. Nat Genet 54:121–124. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-021-00986-wCrossRefPubMed

17.

Hummel T, Rissom K, Reden J et al (2009) Effects of olfactory training in patients with olfactory loss. Laryngoscope 119:496–499. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.20101CrossRefPubMed

18.

Khan AM, Piccirillo J, Kallogjeri D, Piccirillo JF (2023) Efficacy of combined visual-olfactory training with patient-preferred scents as treatment for patients with COVID-19 resultant olfactory loss: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 149:141–149. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2022.4112CrossRefPubMed

19.

Gopinath B, Sue CM, Kifley A, Mitchell P (2012) The association between olfactory impairment and total mortality in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 67:204–209. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glr165CrossRefPubMed

20.

Xu L, Liu J, Wroblewski KE et al (2020) Odor sensitivity versus odor identification in older US adults: associations with cognition, age, gender, and race. Chem Senses 45:321–330. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjaa018CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

21.

Lechien JR, Vaira LA, Saussez S (2023) Prevalence and 24-month recovery of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a multicentre prospective study. J Intern Med 293:82–90. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13564CrossRefPubMed

22.

Lechien JR, Wajsblat S, Horoi M et al (2023) Comparison of prevalence and evolution of COVID-19 olfactory disorders in patients infected by D614 (wild) and B.1.1.7. Alpha variant: a brief report. Eur Arch Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Off J Eur Fed Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Soc EUFOS Affil Ger Soc Oto-Rhino-Laryngol Head Neck Surg. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-07923-zCrossRef

Titel: Evaluating long-term smell or taste dysfunction in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients: a 3-year follow-up study
verfasst von: Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
Giacomo Spinato
Claire Hopkins
Riccardo Marzolino
Angelo Cavicchia
Simone Zucchini
Daniele Borsetto
Jerome R. Lechien
Luigi Angelo Vaira
Giancarlo Tirelli
Publikationsdatum: 16.09.2023
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology / Ausgabe 12/2023
Print ISSN: 0937-4477
Elektronische ISSN: 1434-4726
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-08227-y

Update HNO

Bestellen Sie unseren Fach-Newsletter und bleiben Sie gut informiert – ganz bequem per eMail.

Newsletter bestellen

Springer Medizin

Evaluating long-term smell or taste dysfunction in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients: a 3-year follow-up study