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European Journal of Neurology May 2023Acute health events, including infections, can trigger the onset of functional neurological disorder (FND). It was hypothesized that a proportion of people with long... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Acute health events, including infections, can trigger the onset of functional neurological disorder (FND). It was hypothesized that a proportion of people with long COVID might be experiencing functional symptoms.
METHODS
A systematic review of studies containing original data on long COVID was performed. The frequency and characteristics of neurological symptoms were reviewed, looking for positive evidence suggesting an underlying functional disorder and the hypothesized causes of long COVID.
RESULTS
In all, 102 studies were included in our narrative synthesis. The most consistently reported neurological symptoms were cognitive difficulties, headaches, pain, dizziness, fatigue, sleep-related symptoms and ageusia/anosmia. Overall, no evidence was found that any authors had systematically looked for positive features of FND. An exception was three studies describing temporal inconsistency. In general, the neurological symptoms were insufficiently characterized to support or refute a diagnosis of FND. Moreover, only 13 studies specifically focused on long COVID after mild infection, where the impact of confounders from the general effects of severe illness would be mitigated. Only one study hypothesized that some people with long COVID might have a functional disorder, and another eight studies a chronic-fatigue-syndrome-like response.
DISCUSSION
Neurological symptoms are prevalent in long COVID, but poorly characterized. The similarities between some manifestations of long COVID and functional disorders triggered by acute illnesses are striking. Unfortunately, the current literature is plagued by confounders, including the mixing of patients with initial mild infection with those with severe acute medical complications. The hypothesis that long COVID might in part correspond to a functional disorder remains untested.
Topics: Humans; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; COVID-19; Conversion Disorder; Anosmia; Fatigue
PubMed: 36719069
DOI: 10.1111/ene.15721 -
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health Aug 2021Among Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) manifestations, Olfactory (OD) and Gustatory (GD) Dysfunctions (OGD) have drawn considerable attention, becoming a sort of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Among Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) manifestations, Olfactory (OD) and Gustatory (GD) Dysfunctions (OGD) have drawn considerable attention, becoming a sort of hallmark of the disease. Many have speculated on the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of these disturbances; however, no definite answers have been produced on the topic. With this systematic review, we aimed to collect all the available evidence regarding the prevalence of OGD, the timing of their onset and their resolution, their rate of recovery and their role as diagnostic and prognostic tools for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.
METHODS
A systematic review comprising all the observational studies that reported the prevalence and/or the longitudinal trajectories of OGD in COVID-19 patients, as self-reported by patients or measured through objective psychophysical tests.
RESULTS
After the selection process, 155 studies were included, with a total of 70,920 patients and 105,291 not-infected individuals. Prevalence reports were extremely variable across studies, with wide ranges for OD (0%-98%) and GD (0-89%) prevalence. OGD occurred early during the disease course and only rarely preceded other symptoms; out of 30 studies with a follow-up time of at least 20 days, only in 5 studies OGD fully resolved in more than 90% of patients. OGD had low sensitivity and high specificity for SARS-CoV-2 infection; accuracy of OD and GD for infection identification was higher than 80% in 10 out of 33 studies and in 8 out of 22 studies considered, respectively. 28 out of 30 studies that studied the association between OGD and disease severity found how OGD were associated with lower rates of severe pneumonia, hospitalization and mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
OGD seem to be highly prevalent in SARS-CoV-2 infection. They occur early, concomitantly with other symptoms and often persist after recovery, in some cases for months; whether a full recovery eventually occurs in all cases is not clear yet. OGD are good predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with a milder disease course.
PubMed: 34027497
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100268 -
Reviews in Medical Virology Nov 2022Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel disease caused by a newly identified virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing diverse... (Review)
Review
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel disease caused by a newly identified virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing diverse systemic manifestations. The oral cavity too is not spared and the symptoms appear either independently, concurrently, or sequentially. In view of the rising documented cases of oral lesions of COVID-19, this systematic review aims to assess the prevalence of oral manifestations in COVID-19 confirmed individuals. An extensive literature search was conducted in databases like Scopus, Pubmed/Medline, Livivo, Lilacs and Google Scholar and varied oral signs and symptoms were reported as per the PRISMA guidelines. Studies published in English language literature only were included and were subjected to the risk of bias using the Joana Briggs Institute Appraisal tools for prevalence studies, case series and case reports. In a two-phase selection, 34 studies were included: 21 observational, 3 case-series and 10 case reports. These observational studies included approximately 14,003 patients from 10 countries. In this review, we explored the most commonly encountered oral and dental manifestations in COVID-19 and identified that loss of taste acuity, xerostomia and anosmia were frequently reported. Elevated incidence of opportunistic infections like mucormycosis and aspergillosis were reported during the treatment due to prolonged intake of steroids. Immunosuppression and poor oral hygiene led to secondary manifestations like enanthematous lesions. However, it is not clear that oral signs and symptoms are due to COVID-19 infection itself or are the result of extensive treatment regimen followed [PROSPERO CRD42021258264].
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Prevalence
PubMed: 35271738
DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2345 -
The Laryngoscope Jun 2022Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common presenting symptom of COVID-19 infection. Radiological imaging of the olfactory structures in patients with COVID-19 and OD can... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common presenting symptom of COVID-19 infection. Radiological imaging of the olfactory structures in patients with COVID-19 and OD can potentially shed light on its pathogenesis, and guide clinicians in prognostication and intervention.
METHODS
PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, SCOPUS were searched from inception to August 1, 2021. Three reviewers selected observational studies, case series, and case reports reporting radiological changes in the olfactory structures, detected on magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or other imaging modalities, in patients aged ≥18 years with COVID-19 infection and OD, following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines and a PROSPERO-registered protocol (CRD42021275211). We described the proportion of radiological outcomes, and used random-effects meta-analyses to pool the prevalence of olfactory cleft opacification, olfactory bulb signal abnormalities, and olfactory mucosa abnormalities in patients with and without COVID-19-associated OD.
RESULTS
We included 7 case-control studies (N = 353), 11 case series (N = 154), and 12 case reports (N = 12). The pooled prevalence of olfactory cleft opacification in patients with COVID-19 infection and OD (63%, 95% CI = 0.38-0.82) was significantly higher than that in controls (4%, 95% CI = 0.01-0.13). Conversely, similar proportions of cases and controls demonstrated olfactory bulb signal abnormalities (88% and 94%) and olfactory mucosa abnormalities (2% and 0%). Descriptive analysis found that 55.6% and 43.5% of patients with COVID-19 infection and OD had morphological abnormalities of the olfactory bulb and olfactory nerve, respectively, while 60.0% had abnormal olfactory bulb volumes.
CONCLUSION
Our findings implicate a conductive mechanism of OD, localized to the olfactory cleft, in approximately half of the affected COVID-19 patients. Laryngoscope, 132:1260-1274, 2022.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; COVID-19; Humans; Olfaction Disorders; Olfactory Bulb; Olfactory Mucosa; Smell
PubMed: 35318656
DOI: 10.1002/lary.30078 -
Academic Radiology Nov 2021Hyposmia/anosmia is common among patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Various imaging modalities have been used to assess olfactory dysfunction in...
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
Hyposmia/anosmia is common among patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Various imaging modalities have been used to assess olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19. In this systematic review, we sought to categorize and summarize the imaging data in COVID-19-induced anosmia.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Eligible articles were included after a comprehensive review using online databases including Google scholar, Scopus, PubMed, Web of science and Elsevier. Duplicate results, conference abstracts, reviews, and studies in languages other than English were excluded.
RESULTS
In total, 305 patients undergoing MRI/functional MRI (177), CT of paranasal sinuses (129), and PET/CT or PET/MRI scans (14) were included. Out of a total of 218 findings reported on MRI, 80 were reported on early (≤ 1 month) and 85 on late (>1 month) imaging in relation to the onset of anosmia. Overall, OB morphology and T2-weighted or FLAIR signal intensity were normal in 68/218 (31.2%), while partial or complete opacification of OC was observed in 60/218 (27.5%). T2 hyperintensity in OB was detected in 11/80 (13.75%) and 18/85 (21.17%) on early and late imaging, respectively. Moreover, OB atrophy was reported in 1/80 (1.25%) on early and in 9/85 (10.58%) on late imaging. Last, among a total of 129 CT scans included, paranasal sinuses were evalualted in 88 (68.21%), which were reported as normal in most cases (77/88, [87.5%]).
CONCLUSION
In this systematic review, normal morphology and T2/FLAIR signal intensity in OB and OC obstruction were the most common findings in COVID-19-induced anosmia, while paranasal sinuses were normal in most cases. OC obstruction is the likely mechanism for olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19. Abnormalities in OB signal intensity and OB atrophy suggest that central mechanisms may also play a role in late stage in COVID-19-induced anosmia.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Olfaction Disorders; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34548231
DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2021.08.010 -
American Journal of Dentistry Jun 2020To review the literature on the presence of two clinical manifestations in patients presenting COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection: loss of taste (ageusia) and loss of smell... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To review the literature on the presence of two clinical manifestations in patients presenting COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection: loss of taste (ageusia) and loss of smell (anosmia).
METHODS
PubMed and EMBASE were searched and studies were selected starting from November, 2019 until April 2020; also, the references of the selected articles were evaluated for methodological quality.
RESULTS
Of the 19 studies analyzed, five were included to evaluate the presence of ageusia and/or anosmia as symptoms in patients who were tested and resulted positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In a total of 10,818 patients, 8,823 presented ageusia (81.6%; range 5.6%-88%) and 8,088 presented anosmia (74.8%; range 5.1-85.6%). Only one study recorded both symptoms with a percentage of 18.6%.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
This systematic review demonstrated significant presence of ageusia and anosmia in the patients with COVID-19 infection. These symptoms may be considered as the first manifestation of the infection.
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Olfaction Disorders; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; Smell; Taste; Taste Disorders
PubMed: 32470238
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Journal of Neurological... Jan 2021Growing evidence showed that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may present with neurological manifestations. This review aimed to determine the neurological... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Growing evidence showed that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may present with neurological manifestations. This review aimed to determine the neurological manifestations and complications in COVID-19.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis that included cohort and case series/reports involving a population of patients confirmed with COVID-19 infection and their neurologic manifestations. We searched the following electronic databases until April 18, 2020: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and World Health Organization database (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020180658).
RESULTS
From 403 articles identified, 49 studies involving a total of 6,335 confirmed COVID-19 cases were included. The random-effects modeling analysis for each neurological symptom showed the following proportional point estimates with 95% confidence intervals: "headache" (0.12; 0.10-0.14; I2 = 77%), "dizziness" (0.08; 0.05-0.12; I2 = 82%), "headache and dizziness" (0.09; 0.06-0.13; I2 = 0%), "nausea" (0.07; 0.04-0.11; I2 = 79%), "vomiting" (0.05; 0.03-0.08; I2 = 74%), "nausea and vomiting" (0.06; 0.03-0.11; I2 = 83%), "confusion" (0.05; 0.02-0.14; I2 = 86%), and "myalgia" (0.21; 0.18-0.25; I2 = 85%). The most common neurological complication associated with COVID-19 infection was vascular disorders (n = 23); other associated conditions were encephalopathy (n = 3), encephalitis (n = 1), oculomotor nerve palsy (n = 1), isolated sudden-onset anosmia (n = 1), Guillain-Barré syndrome (n = 1), and Miller-Fisher syndrome (n = 2). Most patients with neurological complications survived (n = 14); a considerable number of patients died (n = 7); and the rest had unclear outcomes (n = 12).
CONCLUSION
This review revealed that neurologic involvement may manifest in COVID-19 infection. What has initially been thought of as a primarily respiratory illness has evolved into a wide-ranging multi-organ disease.
Topics: Anosmia; Brain Diseases; COVID-19; Cerebral Hemorrhage; Cerebral Infarction; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Confusion; Dizziness; Encephalitis; Guillain-Barre Syndrome; Headache; Humans; Myalgia; Nausea; Oculomotor Nerve Diseases; SARS-CoV-2; Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial; Vomiting
PubMed: 32665054
DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2020.146 -
Journal of the College of Physicians... Jul 2018Transsphenoidal microscopic pituitary surgery is an effective way of treating pituitary tumors. However, minimal invasive approach endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
Transsphenoidal microscopic pituitary surgery is an effective way of treating pituitary tumors. However, minimal invasive approach endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery has become much more prevalent these days. Endoscopic surgery resects the maximum tumour with less complications. As endoscopic surgery is much safer and less invasive as compared to the microscopic transsphenoidal surgery, selection of technology for the treatment of pituitary adenoma is becoming increasingly equivocal. The main aim of this systematic review was to assess the safety of endoscopic and microscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery in terms of postoperative complications. Relevant studies between January 1992 and January 2017 were searched in the Cochrane Library electronic databases, EMBASE and MEDLINE, through a systematic literature search. A total of 1,463 patients reviewed (microscopic group=684, endoscopic group=779), the proportion of diabetes insipidus, septal perforation and other complications related to surgery (include lip anesthesia, nasal anesthesia, deviated septum, saddle nose, sinusitis, synechiae, anosmia) in those patients who had endoscopic surgery were significantly lower (p<0.05). No significant difference emerged between the two approaches in the incidence rates of cerebrospinal fluid leak, meningitis, epistaxis or hypopituitarism (p>0.05). These results support the safety of endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma surgery.
Topics: Endoscopy; Humans; Microsurgery; Pituitary Neoplasms; Postoperative Complications; Sphenoid Bone
PubMed: 29950263
DOI: 10.29271/jcpsp.2018.07.554 -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... Dec 2015Olfactory dysfunction is a key symptom in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Despite the implications for quality of life, relatively few articles have tested... (Review)
Review
Olfactory dysfunction is a key symptom in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Despite the implications for quality of life, relatively few articles have tested olfactory function in their investigations. The current systematic review aimed to investigate the following 2 questions: (1) What does AR do to human olfaction? (2) How effective is the treatment of AR in restoring the sense of smell? A comprehensive literature search was performed, and human studies of any design were included. A total of 420 articles were identified, and 36 articles were considered relevant. Data indicate that the frequency of olfactory dysfunction increases with the duration of the disorder, and most studies report a frequency in the range of 20% to 40%. Although olfactory dysfunction does not appear to be very severe in patients with AR, its presence seems to increase with the severity of the disease. There is very limited evidence that antihistamines improve olfactory function. In addition, there is limited evidence that topical steroids improve the sense of smell, especially in patients with seasonal AR. This is also the case for specific immunotherapy. However, many questions remain unanswered because randomized controlled trials are infrequent and only a few studies rely on quantitative measurement of olfactory function.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Rhinitis, Allergic; Smell
PubMed: 26409662
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.08.003 -
International Journal of... 2022With the global epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), vaccination rates are increasing globally. This study evaluated the relevant clinical manifestations of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
With the global epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), vaccination rates are increasing globally. This study evaluated the relevant clinical manifestations of vaccinated COVID-19 patients.
METHODS
We searched carefully in 11 databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Ovid, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wan Fang Data, Sinomed, VIP Database, and Reading Showing Database up to 26 March 2022. To search for articles that have described the characteristics of vaccinated patients including epidemiological and clinical symptoms. Statistical analysis of the extracted data using STATA 14.0.
RESULTS
A total of 58 articles and 263,708 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were included. Most of the patients in the vaccinated group had more asymptomatic infection and fewer severe illnesses. There were significant differences in ethnicity, and strain infected with COVID-19, and comorbidities (hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, immunocompromised, cardiovascular disease, and tumor) and symptoms (fever, cough, gastrointestinal symptoms, neurological symptoms, and dysgeusia/anosmia) between vaccinated group and unvaccinated group. Oxygen support, use of steroid, days in hospital, hospital treatment, ICU treatment, death, and poor prognosis were also significantly different.
CONCLUSION
Compared with the vaccinated group, patients in the unvaccinated group had a more severe clinical manifestations. Vaccines are also protective for infected people.
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; China; COVID-19; Neoplasms; Research Design
PubMed: 36412572
DOI: 10.1177/03946320221141802