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Olfactory recovery following omicron variant infection: a psychophysical prospective case–control study with six-month follow up

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 May 2023

Luigi Angelo Vaira Open the ORCID record for Luigi Angelo Vaira [Opens in a new window] ,
Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo ,
Jerome R Lechien Open the ORCID record for Jerome R Lechien [Opens in a new window] ,
Miguel Mayo-Yáñez Open the ORCID record for Miguel Mayo-Yáñez [Opens in a new window] ,
Marzia Petrocelli ,
Laura Pistidda ,
Giovanni Salzano ,
Fabio Maglitto ,
Claire Hopkins  and
Giacomo De Riu
Luigi Angelo Vaira*
Affiliation:
Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy Biomedical Science Department, School of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
Affiliation:
Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
Jerome R Lechien
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Mons School of Medicine, UMONS Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium Department of Otolaryngology – Head Neck Surgery, Elsan Polyclinic of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
Miguel Mayo-Yáñez
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital Complex of A Coruña (‘CHUAC’), A Coruña, Spain
Marzia Petrocelli
Affiliation:
Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Bellaria-Maggiore Hospital, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale della (‘AUSL’) Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Laura Pistidda
Affiliation:
Intensive Care Unit Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Giovanni Salzano
Affiliation:
Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy
Fabio Maglitto
Affiliation:
Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy
Claire Hopkins
Affiliation:
Rhinology, King's College, London, UK British Rhinological Society, London, UK
Giacomo De Riu
Affiliation:
Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
*
Corresponding author: Luigi Angelo Vaira; Email: lavaira@uniss.it
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the recovery of olfactory function at six months in individuals infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 omicron variant, using psychophysical tests.

Methods

A prospective case–control study that included severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 patients infected in February and March 2022 was conducted. Patients underwent the Sniffin’ Sticks test within 10 days of infection and again after at least 6 months. The olfactory scores were compared with those of a control group.

Results

In all, 102 patients and 120 controls were enrolled in the study. At baseline, 26 patients (25.5 per cent) self-reported smell loss. The median threshold, discrimination and identification score was 33.6 (interquartile range, 12.5) for the cases and 36.5 (interquartile range, 4.38) for the controls (p < 0.001). Based on the threshold, discrimination and identification scores, 12 controls and 34 patients reported olfactory dysfunction (p < 0.001). Eighty cases underwent re-evaluation at six months; the median threshold, discrimination and identification score was 37.1 (interquartile range, 4.75) with no significant differences compared with the controls.

Conclusion

Six months after infection, the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in patients did not differ significantly from the control population.

Keywords

AnosmiaageusiaCovid-19smellSARS-CoV-2coronavirustasteotolaryngology
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 137 , Issue 12 , December 2023 , pp. 1395 - 1400
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

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Footnotes

Luigi Angelo Vaira takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of this paper

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