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Vaira LA, Boscolo-Rizzo P, Lechien JR, Mayo-Yáñez M, Petrocelli M, Pistidda L, Salzano G, Maglitto F, Hopkins C, De Riu G. Olfactory recovery following omicron variant infection: a psychophysical prospective case-control study with six-month follow up. J Laryngol Otol 2023; 137:1395-1400. [PMID: 37194489 DOI: 10.1017/s0022215123000877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the recovery of olfactory function at six months in individuals infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 omicron variant, using psychophysical tests. METHODS A prospective case-control study that included severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 patients infected in February and March 2022 was conducted. Patients underwent the Sniffin' Sticks test within 10 days of infection and again after at least 6 months. The olfactory scores were compared with those of a control group. RESULTS In all, 102 patients and 120 controls were enrolled in the study. At baseline, 26 patients (25.5 per cent) self-reported smell loss. The median threshold, discrimination and identification score was 33.6 (interquartile range, 12.5) for the cases and 36.5 (interquartile range, 4.38) for the controls (p < 0.001). Based on the threshold, discrimination and identification scores, 12 controls and 34 patients reported olfactory dysfunction (p < 0.001). Eighty cases underwent re-evaluation at six months; the median threshold, discrimination and identification score was 37.1 (interquartile range, 4.75) with no significant differences compared with the controls. CONCLUSION Six months after infection, the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in patients did not differ significantly from the control population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Angelo Vaira
- Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Biomedical Science Department, School of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Jerome R Lechien
- Department of Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Mons School of Medicine, UMONS Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head Neck Surgery, Elsan Polyclinic of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Miguel Mayo-Yáñez
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital Complex of A Coruña ('CHUAC'), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Marzia Petrocelli
- Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Bellaria-Maggiore Hospital, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale della ('AUSL') Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Pistidda
- Intensive Care Unit Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Salzano
- Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Maglitto
- Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy
| | - Claire Hopkins
- Rhinology, King's College, London, UK
- British Rhinological Society, London, UK
| | - Giacomo De Riu
- Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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von Bartheld CS, Wang L. The prevalence of olfactory dysfunction with Omicron has decreased in Asia, similar to Western countries. Int J Infect Dis 2023; 131:193-195. [PMID: 37001800 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S von Bartheld
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, United States; Center of Biomedical Excellence in Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, United States.
| | - Lingchen Wang
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, United States
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