Rationale
SARS-CoV2 infection causes loss of sense of smell. We hypothesized that specific smell loss is associated with COVID-19.
Methods
Patients recruited for the study within 48 hours of COVID-19 test at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY were evaluated for sense of smell by UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test®). A follow-up UPSIT score was recorded after ∼6weeks of the first visit. Paired t-test was used for statistical analysis.
Results
Patients with similar distribution of age, gender, race, and disease severity were included into the study. At baseline, there was no significant difference in smell recognition between COVID-19+ (N=14) and COVID-19-negative patients (N=6) (54 (IQR 43-70) and 71 (IQR 39-80), p=0.5). Among COVID-19+, eight patients (57%) recovered their sense of smell with the UPSIT score increasing from 49%-correct (IQR 40-63) to 69%-correct (IQR 61-85), p=0.01. Five patients (36%) had no recovery of the sense of smell, and there was a significant worsening in the score from 60%-correct (IQR 48-78) to 55%-correct (IQR 45-68), p=0.04. Among COVID-19+ patients, 79%, 71.4, 64.3, 64.3%, 79% and 64.3% subjects were unable to detect the smells of lime, pickle, lemon, orange, soap, and banana respectively at baseline.
Conclusions
SARS-CoV2 infection results in complete or partial anosmia associated with inability to smell “sour” items, banana, and soap. More than a third of COVID-19 patient did not recover their sense of smell at ∼6weeks. Objective evaluation of the sense of smells in COVID-19 patients may be used as marker of disease and for monitoring sense of smell recovery.
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