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The Pan African Medical Journal 2022The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a cause for global concern. Apart from a multitude of symptoms, the virus is known for its ability to cause loss of taste and... (Review)
Review
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a cause for global concern. Apart from a multitude of symptoms, the virus is known for its ability to cause loss of taste and smell that can be irreversible in a few cases. In fact, even after recovery, post-covid syndrome can still lead to devastating outcomes, specifically with reference to loss of smell and taste. A number of mechanisms that have been postulated include receptor-mediated uptake, increased inflammation, transneuronal migration, and direct damage to the olfactory pathway. Considering how important these two senses are, many psychological, social, and emotional repercussions can be expected. These repercussions include lowering of self-esteem and developmental of mental health issues. Long-term altered taste sensation can also lead to the development of unhealthy eating habits that can result in increasing risk for diabetes and hypertension. A few solutions have been investigated for treating these chemosensory dysfunctions, such as olfactory training, corticosteroids, theophylline and acupuncture. Although the results have been promising but a new modality, virtual reality, requires more in-depth exploration because it targets not only the dysfunction but also the mental health issues being experienced. It is important that affected individuals be provided with strong emotional and family support. Additionally, physicians can help the patients through support groups, cognitive behavioural therapy, olfactory, and virtual reality training.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Ageusia; SARS-CoV-2; Physicians; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
PubMed: 36505013
DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2022.43.38.31329 -
World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology -... Mar 2018Although hundreds of thousands of patients seek medical help annually for disorders of taste and smell, relatively few medical practitioners quantitatively test their...
Although hundreds of thousands of patients seek medical help annually for disorders of taste and smell, relatively few medical practitioners quantitatively test their patients' chemosensory function, taking their complaints at face value. This is clearly not the approach paid to patients complaining of visual, hearing, or balance problems. Accurate chemosensory testing is essential to establish the nature, degree, and veracity of a patient's complaint, as well as to aid in counseling and in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment strategies and decisions. In many cases, patients perseverate on chemosensory loss that objective assessment demonstrates has resolved. In other cases, patients are malingering. Olfactory testing is critical for not only establishing the validity and degree of the chemosensory dysfunction, but for helping patients place their dysfunction into perspective relative to the function of their peer group. It is well established, for example, that olfactory dysfunction is the rule, rather than the exception, in members of the older population. Moreover, it is now apparent that such dysfunction can be an early sign of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Importantly, older anosmics are three times more likely to die over the course of an ensuring five-year period than their normosmic peers, a situation that may be averted in some cases by appropriate nutritional and safety counseling. This review provides the clinician, as well as the academic and industrial researcher, with an overview of the available means for accurately assessing smell and taste function, including up-to-date information and normative data for advances in this field.
PubMed: 30035257
DOI: 10.1016/j.wjorl.2018.03.001 -
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary... Jan 2021Oral health is a pivotal sign of overall health, well-being, and quality of life. With the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome... (Review)
Review
Oral health is a pivotal sign of overall health, well-being, and quality of life. With the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), insights into the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and oral diseases are urgently needed to elucidate the oral manifestations of SARS-CoV-2. The current review aims at analyzing various reports available on oral symptoms along with possible causation, their relationship to the time of occurrence of clinical symptoms, and to shape guidelines for dental practices that could help in combating this global pandemic. The common symptoms that patients report to the dental office even at the presymptomatic stage are ageusia (loss of taste), non-specific anosmia (loss of smell-not associated with rhinitis), and hyposalivation. Few studies also report unexplained ulcers in the oral cavity, desquamative gingivitis, herpetiform ulcers on attached gingiva, blisters/irregular ulcers on the tongue's dorsal surface enlargement of submandibular glands, and cervical lymph node enlargement. Dental surgeons should abide by the prevalent precautionary guidelines. They are at very high risk due to their close contact with patients and exposure to saliva and blood during treatment.
PubMed: 34017710
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1605_20 -
European Archives of... Oct 2020At the time of writing, there is a pandemic affecting virtually every country on Earth. There is considerable discussion amongst clinicians as well as lay people about...
PURPOSE
At the time of writing, there is a pandemic affecting virtually every country on Earth. There is considerable discussion amongst clinicians as well as lay people about anosmia and ageusia in COVID-19 sufferers. We aimed to report the results from comprehensive olfactory and gustatory testing in a series of hospital in-patients.
METHODS
The prospective study evaluated 81 individuals with a COVID-19 infection, as confirmed by 2019 n-cov Real-Time PCR laboratory testing. The control group consisted of forty individuals with COVID-19 negative. Olfactory and gustatory testings were carried out by an examiner utilizing stringent safety standards and wearing full personal protective equipment. The results obtained in the case group were then compared with those obtained for the controls.
RESULTS
In the case group, 41(50.6%) of patients were male and 40 (49.4%) were female, mean age of 54.16 ± 16.98 years (18-95). In the control group, 21 (52.5%) of subjects were male and 19 (47.5%) were female, and mean age was 55 ± 15.39 years (18-90). Fifty (61.7%) COVID-19-positive patients had complaints related to olfaction. The distribution of olfactory symptoms in the case group differed at the level of statistical significance from the control group (p < 0.001). Turning to gustatory abnormalities, within the case group, 22 individuals (27.2%) had taste malfunction. A statistically significant difference was found in the distribution of gustatory abnormalities between cases and controls (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions are strongly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hyposmia with or without hypogeusia is potentially a reliable indicator of latent COVID-19.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ageusia; Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Dysgeusia; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Olfaction Disorders; Pandemics; Personal Protective Equipment; Pneumonia, Viral; Prospective Studies; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; SARS-CoV-2; Young Adult
PubMed: 32577902
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-020-06155-9 -
Innere Medizin (Heidelberg, Germany) Aug 2022Between 10 and 20% of individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suffer from symptoms up to weeks after initial... (Review)
Review
Between 10 and 20% of individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suffer from symptoms up to weeks after initial infection. The most frequently reported symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, anosmia and ageusia, as well as headaches, joint pain, cough, cognitive impairment and impaired sleeping. After exclusion of other etiologies and symptom duration of more than 4 weeks after initial infection this is referred to as long COVID. In contrast to acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), no specific risk factors have been identified as yet as being associated with the occurrence of this disease. Furthermore, there are varying hypotheses concerning the pathomechanism of long COVID. Dividing patients into groups is beneficial in the clinical context. Regardless of long COVID symptoms the risk of cardiovascular events is increased even 1 year after COVID-19.
Topics: Ageusia; COVID-19; Humans; Risk Factors; SARS-CoV-2; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
PubMed: 35925071
DOI: 10.1007/s00108-022-01370-4 -
European Review For Medical and... Jan 2021The novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic had intense social and economic effects. Patients infected with COVID-19 may present with a series of conditions. A... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic had intense social and economic effects. Patients infected with COVID-19 may present with a series of conditions. A considerable number of patients express taste and smell disturbances as a prodromal, coexistent, or as the only manifestation of COVID-19 infection. The objective of the present review is to review the hypothetical mechanisms of action and etiopathogenesis of dysgeusia in COVID-19 patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Multiple scientific databases were explored, including PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane-library, LILACS, Livivo and OpenGrey. All types of articles that discussed the pathogenesis of dysgeusia were included, while articles that described dysgeusia without detail about its mode of action were excluded.
RESULTS
A total of 47 articles, with different designs, were included in this review. These articles suggested direct viral neural invasion to olfactory and gustatory nerves, viral cytotoxicity to taste buds, angiotensin II imbalance, augmented pro-inflammatory cytokines, and disturbances in salivary glands and sialic acid. COVID-19 induced-dysgeusia was also associated with systemic diseases, medications, zinc, chemicals, and disinfectants.
CONCLUSIONS
The most likely cause of transient dysgeusia in COVID-19 is peripheral neurotropism and direct toxicity to taste buds or olfactory epithelium. Other factors may also play a contributory role in dysgeusia, such as a defect in the quality and quantity of saliva, pro-inflammatory cytokines, angiotensin II accumulation, systemic diseases, hypozincemia, and excessive use of chemicals.
Topics: Ageusia; COVID-19; Dysgeusia; Humans; Olfaction Disorders; Prospective Studies; Renin-Angiotensin System; Retrospective Studies; Smell; Taste
PubMed: 33577069
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202101_24683 -
Nutrition Reviews Apr 2022Zinc supplementation is indicated for diarrhea and taste disorders, which are both features of COVID-19 . Nevertheless, this strategy has not been tested for the...
Zinc supplementation is indicated for diarrhea and taste disorders, which are both features of COVID-19 . Nevertheless, this strategy has not been tested for the treatment of these secondary complications in the current pandemic. Through an updated review, a practical appraisal was considered as a means of providing a medical nexus of therapeutic zinc regimens as an adjunct in the management of COVID-19-related diarrhea and ageusia/dysgeusia. While diarrhea and taste disorders are consequences of COVID-19, zinc supplementation is useful for non-COVID-19 patients with these clinical problems. The overwhelming evidence for supplementing with zinc in diarrhea and pneumonia is associated with the treatment of children, while for taste disorders the use of supplementing with zinc is more examined in adults. Whereas COVID-19 is more prevalent in adults, precautions should be exercised not to translate the zinc dosage used for children with diarrhea and taste disorders into the current pandemic. Therapeutic doses of zinc used for adults (∼50-150 mg/day of elemental zinc) could be included in the treatment strategies for COVID-19, but this proposal should be examined through randomized studies.
Topics: Adult; Ageusia; Child; Diarrhea; Dietary Supplements; Dysgeusia; Humans; Taste Disorders; Zinc; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 34338769
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab054 -
Cureus Sep 2021The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a calamitous perturbation of society worldwide. Anosmia and ageusia (or hyposmia and dysgeusia) have been...
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a calamitous perturbation of society worldwide. Anosmia and ageusia (or hyposmia and dysgeusia) have been recognized as two common expressions of COVID-19 infection that linger for days to weeks, and in rare cases are thought to be immutable. Time alone has hitherto proven most effective in their restoration, but turmeric, long believed by some to have medicinal properties, may be a swifter and surer alleviator of anosmia and ageusia. This case series reports the speedy and consequential restoration of taste and smell in two subjects infected with COVID-19 following ingestion of one 1000 mg dose of a turmeric supplement. In view of this, we propose that turmeric be considered in the treatment of anosmia and ageusia caused by COVID-19 infection.
PubMed: 34660038
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.17829 -
Revue Medicale de LiegeThe COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is a major stressor in the population, due to our physical vulnerability, our fear of dying, the major upheaval of our life habits...
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is a major stressor in the population, due to our physical vulnerability, our fear of dying, the major upheaval of our life habits linked to confinement and the difficulty of projecting us into the future. Caregivers themselves are more exposed than ever to burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, other neuropsychiatric complications related directly to the viral infection of the central nervous system or secondary to the immune storm are to be feared in the short term (encephalopathies, myopathies, anosmia, ageusia) but also in the medium and long term (depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Parkinson's disease or neurodegenerative conditions). The pathophysiological mechanisms, in particular immune mechanisms at the origin of the central nervous system damage, will be discussed. A strict longitudinal monitoring of these neuropsychiatric complications across all ages of the population is therefore necessary from now.
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 33211433
DOI: No ID Found -
Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian... Nov 2020We reported one patient infected with acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) presented with sleep disorders; insomnia and restless leg syndrome.
PURPOSE
We reported one patient infected with acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) presented with sleep disorders; insomnia and restless leg syndrome.
METHODS
Patient data were obtained from medical records from Al-Raghy Isolation Hospital in Assuit University.
RESULTS
A 49-year-old female patient presented with insomnia and restless leg syndrome associated with anosmia, ageusia. Three days before, she had developed a cough, malaise and athenia, headache, arthralgia, myalgia affecting mainly upper limbs, diarrhea and a fever followed by tachypnea. The naso-oropharyngeal swab test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by qualitative real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction assay was positive. The patient was treated with Oseltamivir 75mg and clarithromycin 500 mg (12 hourly for each respectively) for 10 days with paracetamol. Two weeks later, the patient made a complete neurological and respiratory recovery.
CONCLUSION
Our case highlighted the rare occurrence of restless leg syndrome and insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The era of sleep disorders spectrum in patients with COVID-19 remains to be characterized suggesting a frightening scientific association between COVID-19 and neuropsychiatric illness.
PubMed: 32954046
DOI: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2020.100057