Performance of formal smell testing and symptom screening for identifying SARS-CoV-2 infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Altered sense of smell is a commonly reported COVID-19 symptom. The performance of smell testing to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection status is unknown. We measured the ability of formal smell testing to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection and compared its performance with symptom screening.

Methods

A convenience sample of emergency department patients with COVID-19 symptom screening participated in smell testing using an eight odor Pocket Smell Test (PST). Participants received a SARS-CoV-2 viral PCR test after smell testing and completed a health conditions survey. Descriptive analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve models compared the accuracy of smell testing versus symptom screening in identifying SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results

Two hundred and

SUBMITTER: Keck JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9004758 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature