Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-h6jzd Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2025-02-17T16:20:56.292Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Olfactory impairment in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 self-perceived as asymptomatic

Part of: JLO Coronavirus Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2022

F D Zahedi Open the ORCID record for F D Zahedi [Opens in a new window] ,
S Husain ,
A K Wan Hamizan ,
G J Tuang ,
H S Gendeh Open the ORCID record for H S Gendeh [Opens in a new window] ,
T J Oui ,
N Mustafa  and
H T Kok
F D Zahedi
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
S Husain*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A K Wan Hamizan
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
G J Tuang
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
H S Gendeh
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
T J Oui
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
N Mustafa
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
H T Kok
Affiliation:
Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (‘MAEPS’) COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre, Selangor, Malaysia
*
Author for correspondence: Prof Salina Husain, Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Olfactory impairment may be present among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 self-perceived as asymptomatic. This study aimed to assess olfactory function among these individuals.

Methods

A cross-sectional study involving patients with coronavirus disease 2019 self-perceived as asymptomatic was conducted. Assessments included the subjective Malaysian Smell and Taste Questionnaire and the culturally adapted Malaysian version of the objective Sniffin’ Sticks Identification smell test.

Results

In 81 participants (mean age of 31.59 ± 12.04 years), with mean time from diagnosis to smell test of 7.47 ± 3.79 days, subjective assessment showed that 80.2 per cent were asymptomatic (questionnaire score of 6) and 19 per cent had mild symptoms (questionnaire score of 7 and 8). The mean objective smell test score was 10.89 ± 2.11. The prevalence of olfactory impairment was 76.6 per cent among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 self-perceived as asymptomatic. There was no association between the questionnaire and the smell test scores (p = 0.25). There was a correlation between the smell test score and the duration from diagnosis to smell test (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

The objective assessment demonstrated that coronavirus disease 2019 patients who perceived themselves as asymptomatic showed olfactory impairment.

Keywords

CoronavirusCOVID-19Olfactory PerceptionSmellAnosmia
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 137 , Issue 2 , February 2023 , pp. 174 - 177
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Prof S Husain takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

Hui, DS, Azhar, EI, Madani, TA, Ntoumi, F, Kock, R, Dar, O et al. The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health – the latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. Int J Infect Dis 2020;91:264–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organization. Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19. In: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update [23 March 2021]Google Scholar
He, J, Guo, Y, Mao, R, Zhang, J. Proportion of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Virol 2021;93:820–3010.1002/jmv.26326CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Alene, M, Yismaw, L, Assemie, MA, Ketema, DB, Mengist, B, Kassie, B et al. Magnitude of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases throughout the course of infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2021;16:e0249090CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gane, SB, Kelly, C, Hopkins, C. Isolated sudden onset anosmia in COVID-19 infection. A novel syndrome? Rhinology 2020;58:299–301Google ScholarPubMed
Seden, N, Yiğit, E, Yiğit, Ö, Kaygisiz, I. Objective evaluation of odor loss in COVID-19 and other suspected cases. Am J Otolaryngol 2021;42:10276110.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102761CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moein, ST, Hashemian, SM, Mansourafshar, B, Khorram-Tousi, A, Tabarasi, P, Doty, RL. Smell dysfunction: a biomarker for COVID-19. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 2020;10:944–50CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vaira, LA, Deiana, G, Fois, AG. Objective evaluation of anosmia and ageusia in COVID-19 patients: single-center experience on 72 cases. Head Neck 2020;42:1252–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lechien, JR, Cabaraux, P, Chiesa-Estomba, CM. Objective olfactory evaluation of self-reported loss of smell in a case series of 86 COVID-19 patients. Head Neck 2020;42:1583–90CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hannum, ME, Ramirez, VA, Lipson, SJ, Herriman, RD, Toskala, AK, Lin, C et al. Objective sensory testing methods reveal a higher prevalence of olfactory loss in COVID-19-positive patients compared to subjective method: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Chem Senses 2020;45:865–74Google Scholar
Mao, L, Jin, H, Wang, M, Hu, Y, Chen, S, He, Q et al. Neurologic manifestations of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective case series study. JAMA Neurol 2020;77:683–90CrossRefGoogle Scholar
von Bartheld, CS, Hagen, MM, Butowt, R. Prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis reveals significant ethnic differences. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020;11:2944–61CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mishra, P, Gowda, V, Dixit, S, Kaushik, M. Prevalence of new onset anosmia in COVID-19 patients: is the trend different between European and Indian population? Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020;72:484–710.1007/s12070-020-01986-8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cavazzana, A, Röhrborn, A, Garthus-Niegel, S, Larsson, M, Hummel, T, Croy, I. Sensory-specific impairment among older people. An investigation using both sensory thresholds and subjective measures across five senses. PloS One 2018;13:e020269810.1371/journal.pone.0202969CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lum, SG, Husain, S, Zahedi, FD, Ahmad, N, Gendeh, BS. Cultural adaptation of Sniffin’ Stick Smell Identification Test: the Malaysian version. Iran J Otorhinolaryngol 2020;32:213–22Google Scholar
Kobal, G, Hummel, T, Sekiner, B, Barz, S, Roscher, S, Wolf, S. Sniffin’ Sticks: screening of olfactory performance. Rhinology 1996;34:222–6Google ScholarPubMed
Hockaday, S, Krause, K, Sobieski, C, Li, JN, Hurst, R, Ryan, B et al. Protocols for personal protective equipment in a COVID-19 medical shelter. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2020;14:551–7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Han, AY, Mukdad, L, Long, JL, Lopez, IA. Anosmia in COVID-19: mechanism and significance. Chem Senses 2020;45:423–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryche, B, Albin, AS, Murri, S, Lacôte, S, Pulido, C, Gouilh, MA et al. Massive transient damage of the olfactory epithelium associated with infection of sustentacular cells by SARS-CoV-2 in golden Syrian hamster. Brain Behav Immun 2020;89:579–86CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saniasiaya, J, Islam, MA, Abdullah, B. Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a meta-analysis of 27,492 patients. Laryngoscope 2021;131:865–7810.1002/lary.29286CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Altin, F, Cingi, C, Uzun, T, Bal, C. Olfactory and gustatory abnormalities in COVID-19 cases. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2020;277:2775–81CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hornuss, D, Lange, B, Schroeter, N, Rieg, S, Kern, WV, Wagner, D. Anosmia in COVID-19 patients. Clin Microbiol Infect 2020;26:1426–710.1016/j.cmi.2020.05.017CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Otte, M, Klussmann, J, Luers, J. Persisting olfactory dysfunction in patients after recovering from COVID-19. J Infect 2020;81:e5810.1016/j.jinf.2020.06.054CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seo, MY, Seok, H, Hwang, SJ, Choi, HK, Jeon, JH, Sohn, JW et al. Trend of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients in a quarantine facility. J Korean Med Sci 2020;35:e375CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lechien, JR, Cabaraux, P, Chiesa-Estomba, CM, Khalife, M, Hans, S, Calvo-Henriquez, C et al. Objective olfactory evaluation of self-reported loss of smell in a case series of 86 COVID-19 patients. Head Neck 2020;42:1583–90CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jahedi, S, Mendez, F. On the advantages and disadvantages of subjective measures. J Econ Behav Organ 2014;98:97–114CrossRefGoogle Scholar