Author contribution:
Study concept and design: Lechien, Cabaraux, Chiesa,
Calvo-Henriquez, Saussez, Hans, Khalife.
Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data : Cabaraux,
Lechien, Saussez, Journe, Khalife, Martiny, Sowerby.
Drafting of the manuscript: Lechien, Saussez, Sowerby.
Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual
content: Sowerby, Saussez, Chiesa, Calvo-Henriquez, Hans, Journe,
Khalife, Carabaux.
Correspondence to :
Dr. Jay R. Lechien, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Foch
Hospital, School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Paris, France.
Email: Jerome.Lechien@umons.ac.be
Telephone: +32 65 37 35 84
Abstract :
Objective : To investigate olfactory dysfunction (OD) in
patients with mild COVID-19 through patient-reported outcome
questionnaires and objective psychophysical testing.
Methods : COVID-19 patients with self-reported sudden-onset OD
were recruited. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected. Nasal
complaints were evaluated with the sino-nasal outcome-22 (SNOT-22).
Subjective olfactory and gustatory status was evaluated with the
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNES). Objective OD
was evaluated using psychophysical tests.
Results : Eighty-six patients completed the study. The most
common symptoms were fatigue (72.9%), headache (60.0%), nasal
obstruction (58.6%) and postnasal drip (48.6%). Total loss of smell
was self-reported by 61.4% of patients. Objective olfactory testings
identified 41 anosmic (47.7%), 12 hyposmic (14.0%), and 33 normosmic
(38.3%) patients. There was no correlation between the objective test
results and subjective reports of nasal obstruction or postnasal drip.
Conclusion : A significant proportion of COVID-19 patients
reporting OD do not have OD on objective testing.