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HNO Feb 2022This manuscript aims to provide an overview of the etiology and diagnosis of olfactory and gustatory disorders. Not only are they common with about 5% of the population...
This manuscript aims to provide an overview of the etiology and diagnosis of olfactory and gustatory disorders. Not only are they common with about 5% of the population affected, but olfactory and gustatory disorders have recently gained attention in light of the rising SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic: sudden loss of smell and/or taste is regarded as one of the cardinal symptoms. Furthermore, in the early diagnostics of neurodegenerative diseases, olfactory disorders are of great importance. Patients with olfactory dysfunction often show signs of depression. The impact of olfactory/gustatory disorders is thus considerable, but therapeutic options are unfortunately still limited. Following a description of the etiology, the diagnostic and therapeutic options are discussed on the basis of current literature. Potential future treatments are also addressed, e.g. autologous mucosal grafts or olfactory implants.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Olfaction Disorders; SARS-CoV-2; Smell; Taste Disorders
PubMed: 35020005
DOI: 10.1007/s00106-021-01132-y -
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Mar 2022Olfactory dysfunction is a prevalent condition affecting 5-15% of the general population, with significant impact on quality of life. This review summarizes the most... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Olfactory dysfunction is a prevalent condition affecting 5-15% of the general population, with significant impact on quality of life. This review summarizes the most recent and relevant literature in the treatment of olfactory dysfunction.
RECENT FINDINGS
Current evidence supports the short-term use of topical corticosteroids and systemic therapy. These treatments may occur in conjunction with olfactory training, which is well supported by the literature. While there are several additional treatments currently under investigation, meaningful conclusions are not yet able to be made regarding their efficacy. The treatment of olfactory dysfunction is targeted at the suspected etiology when possible. After normal aging, chronic rhinosinusitis, post-infectious sequelae including as a result SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19), and head trauma are the most common causes. Current evidence supports the short-term use of topical corticosteroids and systemic therapy. Several additional treatments are under investigation but recommendations for their use cannot currently be made.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Olfaction Disorders; Quality of Life; SARS-CoV-2; Smell; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 35072929
DOI: 10.1007/s11882-022-01028-z -
European Archives of... Mar 2023One of the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 is phantosmia, a type of Olfactory Disorder (OD) that has deleterious impacts on patients' quality of life. The aim of this...
PURPOSE
One of the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 is phantosmia, a type of Olfactory Disorder (OD) that has deleterious impacts on patients' quality of life. The aim of this article was to study how this poorly understood qualitative OD manifests itself in the COVID-19.
METHODS
4691 patients with COVID-19 responded to our online questionnaire focusing on COVID-19-related OD. We first analyzed the prevalence of phantosmia in this population. Then, with the help of Natural Language Processing techniques, we investigated the qualitative descriptions of phantom smells by the 1723 respondents who reported phantosmia.
RESULTS
The prevalence of phantosmia was of 37%. Women were more likely to report phantosmia than men, as well as respondents for whom OD was described as fluctuating rather than permanent, lasted longer, was partial rather than total and appeared progressively rather than suddenly. The relationship between OD duration and phantosmia followed a logarithmic function, with a prevalence of phantosmia increasing strongly during the first 2 months of the disease before reaching a plateau and no decrease over the 15 months considered in this study. Qualitative analyses of phantosmia descriptions with a sentiment analysis revealed that the descriptions were negatively valenced for 78% of the respondents. Reference to "tobacco" was more frequent in non-smokers. Source names and odor characteristics were used differently according to age and OD duration.
CONCLUSION
The results of this descriptive study of phantosmia contribute to the current efforts of the medical community to better understand and treat this rapidly increasing COVID-19-related OD.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; COVID-19; Quality of Life; Olfaction Disorders; Smell
PubMed: 36173444
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-022-07649-4 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Dec 2021Qualitative smell/taste disorders (such as phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia) have not yet been fully characterized in patients who had COVID-19,...
BACKGROUND
Qualitative smell/taste disorders (such as phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia) have not yet been fully characterized in patients who had COVID-19, whereas quantitative disturbances (i.e., reduction/loss of smell/taste) have been widely investigated.
OBJECTIVE
To simultaneously assess the presence of both quantitative and qualitative smell/taste dysfunctions in patients who suffered from COVID-19.
METHODS
We enrolled 17 consecutive patients who suffered from COVID-19 over the last 6 months and 21 healthy controls, matched for sex and age. After a negative nasopharyngeal swab, the Sniffin' Sticks Test and the Taste Strips were used to assess olfactory and taste function, respectively. At the same time, the presence of phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia was investigated with a standardized questionnaire.
RESULTS
Qualitative disturbances of smell and/or taste were found in 6/17 (35.3%) patients. Phantosmia was reported in 2/17 (11.8%) patients and parosmia in 4/17 (23.5%). There were no significant differences in smell test scores between patients who reported phantosmia and/or parosmia and patients who did not. Phantogeusia was described in 3/17 (17.6%) patients, and parageusia was identified in 4/17 (23.5%) patients. All tested patients were normogeusic.
CONCLUSION
Around one-third of patients who recover from COVID-19 may have persistent qualitative dysfunction in smell/taste domains. Detection of phantogeusia in long-term COVID-19 patients represents a further novel finding. Further investigation is needed to better characterize the pathophysiology of phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia in patients who had COVID-19.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Olfaction Disorders; SARS-CoV-2; Smell; Taste Disorders
PubMed: 34557966
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05611-6 -
Saudi Medical Journal Nov 2023To assess the frequency of olfactory dysfunction (OD) among individuals afflicted with coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19).
OBJECTIVES
To assess the frequency of olfactory dysfunction (OD) among individuals afflicted with coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19).
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search was carried out across several bibliographical databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) to extract publications in the English language between January 2020 and December 2021 to report the incidence of OD alone or together with gustatory dysfunction (GD) among COVID-19 patients.
RESULTS
Based on eligibility criteria, 84 articles were included from 27 countries, comprising 36,903 patients, of whom 58.1% were females. The generality rates of olfactory impairment alone was 34.60% and in conjunction with GD was 11.36%. Patients with OD were subclassified into various categories, and the prevalence of anosmia was 20.85%, 5.04% for hyposmia, 8.88% for anosmia or hyposmia, 1.84% for parosmia, 0.78% for phantosmia, and 0.02% for hyperosmia, among COVID-19 patients.
CONCLUSION
Clinical features associated with OD, either isolated or in combination with GD, are common in patients with COVID-19 and consider important signs of COVID-19 that may guide clinicians in the early phase of the disease..
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Anosmia; COVID-19; Olfaction Disorders; Language; Patients
PubMed: 37926445
DOI: 10.15537/smj.2023.44.11.20230264 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2022Parosmia, distorted smell sensations, is a common consequence of respiratory virus infections. The phenomenon is not well understood in terms of its impact and long-term...
Parosmia, distorted smell sensations, is a common consequence of respiratory virus infections. The phenomenon is not well understood in terms of its impact and long-term outcomes. We examined self-reported experiences of parosmia in a population-based sample from the Betula study that was conducted in Umeå in northern Sweden (baseline data collected in 1998-2000). We used a baseline sample of 2168 individuals aged 35-90 years and with no cognitive impairment at baseline. We investigated the prevalence of parosmia experiences and, using regression analyses, its relationship to other olfactory and cognitive variables and quality of life. Benefitting from the longitudinal study design, we also assessed the persistence of parosmia over 5 and 10 years prospectively. Parosmia experiences were prevalent in 4.8% of the population and it often co-occurred with phantosmia ("olfactory hallucinations"), but was not associated with lower self-rated overall quality of life or poor performance on olfactory or cognitive tests. For some individuals, parosmia was retained 5 years (17.0%) or even 10 years later (10.3%). Thus, parosmia experiences are commonly reported in the population, and can be persistent for some individuals, but might be mostly benign in nature. Our work complements research on clinical-level parosmia, which is typically more severe, and recent parosmia reports during the COVID-19 pandemic, where long-term outcomes are still unknown.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Olfaction Disorders; Pandemics; Quality of Life; Smell
PubMed: 35697904
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13201-5 -
Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North... Nov 2004Disorders of taste and smell can present a challenge to the facial plastic surgeon. Obtaining a detailed history and examination is the key to the diagnosis and work-up... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
Disorders of taste and smell can present a challenge to the facial plastic surgeon. Obtaining a detailed history and examination is the key to the diagnosis and work-up of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. Easy-to-administer tests are available for olfactory evaluation(University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) and gustatory (taste sticks, tasting tablets) evaluation. The prognosis and management of olfactory and gustatory disease depend on its etiology. Despite ongoing research, the treatment of the disorders of smell and taste is limited.
Topics: Chemoreceptor Cells; Female; Humans; Male; Olfaction Disorders; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Sensory Thresholds; Severity of Illness Index; Taste Disorders; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 15337114
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsc.2004.04.006 -
Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal May 2024The pandemic has affected over 182 million coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases worldwide. Accumulated evidence indicates that anosmia is one of the significant... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
The pandemic has affected over 182 million coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases worldwide. Accumulated evidence indicates that anosmia is one of the significant characteristics of COVID-19 with a high prevalence. However, many aspects of COVID-19-induced anosmia are still far from being fully understood. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent developments in COVID-19-induced anosmia to increase awareness of the condition.
METHODS
A literature search was carried out using the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. We reviewed the latest literature on COVID-19-induced anosmia, including mechanisms of pathogenesis, olfactory testing, anosmia as predictive tool, pathological examinations, imaging findings, affected factors, co-existing diseases, treatments, prognosis, hypothesis theories, and future directions.
RESULTS
The possible pathogenesis of COVID-19-induced anosmia may involve inflammation of the olfactory clefts and damage to the olfactory epithelium or olfactory central nervous system by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The D614G spike variant may also play a role in the increased number of anosmia patients. Anosmia may also be an essential indicator of COVID-19 spread and an early indicator of the effectiveness of political decisions. The occurrence and development of COVID-19-induced anosmia may be influenced by smoking behaviors and underlying diseases such as type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal disorders, and rhinitis. Most patients with COVID-19-induced anosmia can fully or partially recover their olfactory function for varying durations. COVID-19-induced anosmia can be treated with various approaches such as glucocorticoids and olfactory training.
CONCLUSION
Anosmia is one of the main features of COVID-19 and the underlying disease of the patient may also influence its occurrence and development. The possible pathogenesis of COVID-19-induced anosmia is very complicated, which may involve inflammation of the olfactory clefts and damage to the olfactory epithelium or olfactory central nervous system.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Anosmia; SARS-CoV-2; Olfactory Mucosa; Olfaction Disorders
PubMed: 34587819
DOI: 10.1177/01455613211048998 -
European Archives of... Mar 2021Since the outbreak in China due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) various studies have been published describing olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OGD).
BACKGROUND
Since the outbreak in China due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) various studies have been published describing olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OGD).
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the frequency and severity of OGD in SARS-CoV-2 (+) out-patients compared to controls with common cold/flu like symptoms and two negative RT-PCR.
METHODS
A multicenter cross-sectional study on SARS-CoV-2-positive out-patients (n = 197) and controls (n = 107) from five Spanish Hospitals. Severity of OGD was categorized by visual analogue scale (VAS). Frequency and severity of the chemosensory impairment were analyzed.
RESULTS
The frequencies of smell (70.1%) and taste loss (65%) were significantly higher among COVID-19 subjects than in the controls (20.6% and 19.6%, respectively). Simultaneous OGD was more frequent in the COVID-19 group (61.9% vs 10.3%) and they scored higher in VAS for severity of OGD than controls. In the COVID-19 group, OGD was predominant in young subjects 46.5 ± 14.5 and females (63.5%). Subjects with severe loss of smell were younger (42.7 years old vs 45.5 years old), and recovered later (median = 7, IQR = 5.5 vs median = 4, IQR = 3) than those with mild loss of smell. Subjects with severe loss of taste, recovered later in days (median = 7, IQR = 6 vs median = 2, IQR = 2), compared to those with mild loss.
CONCLUSION
OGD is a prevalent symptom in COVID-19 subjects with significant differences compared to controls. It was predominant in young and females subjects. Stratified analysis by the severity of OGD showed that more than 60% of COVID-19 subjects presented a severe OGD who took a longer time to recover compared to those with mild symptoms.
Topics: Adult; COVID-19; China; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Olfaction Disorders; Outpatients; SARS-CoV-2; Taste Disorders
PubMed: 32844305
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-020-06266-3 -
Progress in Brain Research 2014The olfactory system has a rich cortical representation, including a large archicortical component present in most vertebrates, and in mammals neocortical components... (Review)
Review
The olfactory system has a rich cortical representation, including a large archicortical component present in most vertebrates, and in mammals neocortical components including the entorhinal and orbitofrontal cortices. Together, these cortical components contribute to normal odor perception and memory. They help transform the physicochemical features of volatile molecules inhaled or exhaled through the nose into the perception of odor objects with rich associative and hedonic aspects. This chapter focuses on how olfactory cortical areas contribute to odor perception and begins to explore why odor perception is so sensitive to disease and pathology. Odor perception is disrupted by a wide range of disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, depression, autism, and early life exposure to toxins. This olfactory deficit often occurs despite maintained functioning in other sensory systems. Does the unusual network of olfactory cortical structures contribute to this sensitivity?
Topics: Animals; Cerebral Cortex; Humans; Odorants; Olfaction Disorders; Olfactory Pathways; Olfactory Perception; Smell
PubMed: 24767487
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-63350-7.00011-5