Objective screening for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A prospective study in healthcare workers using self‐administered testing

Background Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID‐19 patients suggests that self‐reported measures are...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:World journal of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery 2022-09, Vol.8 (3), p.249-256
Main Authors: Cao, Austin C., Nimmo, Zachary M., Mirza, Natasha, Cohen, Noam A., Brody, Robert M., Doty, Richard L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anosmia
Antibodies
Brief Smell Identification Test
Chemosensory dysfunction
COVID-19
COVID-19 diagnostic tests
Disease transmission
Dysgeusia
Gustation
Healthcare workers
Infections
Medical personnel
Objective testing
Olfaction
Olfaction disorders
Patients
Polls & surveys
Questionnaires
Research Paper
Research Papers
Screening
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Statistical analysis
Taste disorders
University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test
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Summary:Background Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID‐19 patients suggests that self‐reported measures are insufficient for capturing patients with chemosensory dysfunction. Objectives The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of recent COVID‐19 infection on chemosensory function and demonstrate the use of at‐home objective smell and taste testing in an at‐risk population of healthcare workers. Methods Two hundred and fifty healthcare workers were screened for possible loss of smell and taste using online surveys. Self‐administered smell and taste tests were mailed to respondents meeting criteria for elevated risk of infection, and one‐month follow‐up surveys were completed. Results Among subjects with prior SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, 73% reported symptoms of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction. Self‐reported smell and taste loss were both strong predictors of COVID‐19 positivity. Subjects with evidence of recent SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (
ISSN:2095-8811
2589-1081
DOI:10.1016/j.wjorl.2021.02.001