Olfactory and gustatory manifestations in hospitalized patients with COVID-19
نویسندگان
1 1. Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran . 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
2 3. Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Infectious diseases, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
3 1. Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran . 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
4 1. Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran . 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
5 1. Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran . 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
doi
10.22037/orlfps.v6i1.33962چکیده
Background: Pulmonary involvement is the main clinical and imaging feature of the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19). However, some patients present with upper airway symptoms. Aim: In this study, we report upper respiratory manifestations, specifically focusing on smell and taste disorders in COVID-19. Methods: We performed this cross-sectional prospective study in patients admitted to Masih Daneshvari Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Tehran, Iran, with severe COVID-19 as documented by the polymerase chain reaction assay. Results: We included 268 hospitalized patients, 183 (68.3%) men and 85 (31.7%) women. The average age was 52.8±16.4. The sinonasal symptoms included nasal obstruction (44 [16.4%]), rhinorrhea (31 [11.5%]), sneeze (33 [12.3%]), headache (77 [28.6%]), facial pain (12 [4.5%]), associated with hypogeusia (65 [24.2%]) and olfactory dysfunction (90 [33.5%]). In 35 (38.9%) patients with olfactory symptoms, change in the smell was the sole initial manifestation of COVID-19. On logistic regression, the relationship between the olfactory symptoms and headache (p=0.002), nasal obstruction (p=0.0001) and sneeze (p=0.018) were statistically significant. Conclusion: We report a considerable prevalence of olfactory and gustatory symptoms in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Not infrequently, these symptoms were the sole initial presenting symptoms in the course COVID-19. During the current pandemic, we suggest that presence of these symptoms should mandate expedited screening for COVID-19, isolation and close monitoring of the patients for evolution of the clinical course.
