Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, Department of Disease Control, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Int J Infect Dis. 2021 May;106:329-337. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.03.083. Epub 2021 Apr 2.
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between taste and smell losses and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and to elucidate whether taste preference influences such taste loss.
A matched case-control study was conducted in 366 Thai participants, including 122 who were confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive by RT-PCR (case group) and 244 who were SARS-CoV-2-negative (control group). Taste, smell, and appetite changes were assessed by self-reported visual analog scale. Preference for sweet, salty, umami, sour, bitter, and spicy were judged using the validated TASTE-26 questionnaire.
Partial taste and smell losses were observed in both groups, while complete losses (ageusia and anosmia) were detected only in the case group. Moreover, only ageusia and anosmia were associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity (P < 0.001, odds ratio of 14.5 and 27.5, respectively). Taste, smell, and appetite scores were more severely reduced in the case group (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that anosmia and ageusia were the best predictors of SARS-CoV-2 positivity, followed by appetite loss and fever. Simultaneous losses of taste and smell but not taste preferences were associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity (P < 0.01, odds ratio 2.28).
Complete, but not partial, losses of taste and smell were the best predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, healthy persons with sudden simultaneous complete loss of taste and smell should be screened for COVID-19.
本研究旨在探讨味觉和嗅觉丧失与严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）感染之间的关系，并阐明味觉偏好是否会影响这种味觉丧失。
在 366 名泰国参与者中进行了一项匹配的病例对照研究，其中包括 122 名经 RT-PCR 确诊为 SARS-CoV-2 阳性的参与者（病例组）和 244 名 SARS-CoV-2 阴性的参与者（对照组）。味觉、嗅觉和食欲变化通过自我报告的视觉模拟量表进行评估。使用经过验证的 TASTE-26 问卷判断对甜、咸、鲜味、酸、苦和辣的偏好。
两组均观察到部分味觉和嗅觉丧失，而仅在病例组中检测到完全丧失（味觉丧失和嗅觉丧失）。此外，只有味觉丧失和嗅觉丧失与 SARS-CoV-2 阳性相关（P<0.001，优势比分别为 14.5 和 27.5）。病例组的味觉、嗅觉和食欲评分下降更严重（P<0.0001）。多变量分析显示，嗅觉丧失和味觉丧失是 SARS-CoV-2 阳性的最佳预测因素，其次是食欲丧失和发热。味觉和嗅觉同时丧失而非味觉偏好与 SARS-CoV-2 阳性相关（P<0.01，优势比为 2.28）。
完全而非部分的味觉和嗅觉丧失是 SARS-CoV-2 感染的最佳预测因素。在当前 COVID-19 大流行期间，突然出现同时完全丧失味觉和嗅觉的健康人应进行 COVID-19 筛查。
