Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiologic Sciences, and Public Health; University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Epidemiology and Public Health Intervention Research group (EPHIR), Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2020 Dec;163(6):1144-1149. doi: 10.1177/0194599820939538. Epub 2020 Jun 30.
To prospectively assess the rate and timing of recovery of olfactory (OD) and gustatory (GD) dysfunction in patients affected by COVID-19.
Cohort study.
Population-based evaluation in a COVID-19 high-prevalence region.
We analyzed the clinical course of OD and GD in a cohort of home-quarantined SARS-CoV-2-positive patients from Northern Italy. Physicians administered a survey-based questionnaire at recruitment (T0). During follow-up, patients responded to online dedicated surveys modulated according to symptoms at T0.
A total of 151 patients completed the follow-up survey. OD and/or GD were observed in 83% and 89% of subjects, respectively. Resolution rates of OD and GD at 30 days from onset were 87% and 82%, respectively. Risk factors for late resolution were grade of dysfunction at onset (total vs partial), gender, and presence of nasal congestion. Three (2%) patients previously reporting complete resolution of symptoms complained of subsequent recurrence of OD and/or GD after a mean of 19 days from resolution of the previous episode.
COVID-19-related OD and GD had high rate of resolution in the first month from onset of symptoms. However, in 10% to 15% of patients, these symptoms showed only partial improvement after this period.
前瞻性评估 COVID-19 患者嗅觉（OD）和味觉（GD）功能障碍的恢复率和时间。
队列研究。
COVID-19 高发地区的基于人群的评估。
我们分析了来自意大利北部的 SARS-CoV-2 阳性居家隔离患者队列的 OD 和 GD 临床病程。医生在招募时（T0）进行基于问卷调查。在随访期间，患者根据 T0 时的症状在线回复专门的调查。
共有 151 名患者完成了随访调查。分别有 83%和 89%的患者出现 OD 和/或 GD。发病后 30 天 OD 和 GD 的缓解率分别为 87%和 82%。OD 缓解延迟的危险因素为发病时功能障碍的严重程度（完全或部分）、性别和鼻塞。3（2%）名之前报告完全缓解症状的患者在先前症状缓解后 19 天平均出现 OD 和/或 GD 症状复发。
COVID-19 相关的 OD 和 GD 在症状出现后的第一个月内有很高的缓解率。然而，在 10%至 15%的患者中，这些症状在此期间仅部分改善。
