Testing olfactory dysfunction in acute and recovered COVID-19 patients: a single center study in Italy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Olfactory dysfunction in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is common during acute illness and appears to last longer than other symptoms. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate olfactory dysfunction in two cohorts of patients at two different stages: during acute illness and after a median recovery of 4 months.

Methods

Twenty-five acutely ill patients and 26 recovered subjects were investigated. Acute patients had a molecular diagnosis of COVID-19; recovered subjects had a positive antibody assay and a negative molecular test. A 33-item psychophysical olfactory identification test tailored for the Italian population was performed.

Results

Median time from symptoms onset to olfactory test was 33 days in acute patients and 122 days in recovere

SUBMITTER: Pasquini J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7994059 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature