A Case Series of Olfactory Dysfunction in Imported COVID-19 Patients: A 12-Month Follow-Up Study.

Ni Wang; Ming Bo Yang; Pu Ye Yang; Ren Bo Chen; Fei Huang; Nan Nan Shi; Yan MA; Yan Zhang; You XU; Si Hong Liu; Heng Yi LU; Qing Qing FU; Yi Pin Fan; Hong Min Kan; Xiao Hong Wang; Ya Ling Guo

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A Case Series of Olfactory Dysfunction in Imported COVID-19 Patients: A 12-Month Follow-Up Study.

Author: Ni WANG ¹ ; Ming Bo YANG ² ; Pu Ye YANG ³ ; Ren Bo CHEN ³ ; Fei HUANG ¹ ; Nan Nan SHI ³ ; Yan MA ³ ; Yan ZHANG ⁴ ; You XU ⁴ ; Si Hong LIU ⁵ ; Heng Yi LU ² ; Qing Qing FU ⁶ ; Yi Pin FAN ³ ; Hong Min KAN ² ; Xiao Hong WANG ⁴ ; Ya Ling GUO ⁴
Author Information

1. National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
2. Hepatology Department of TCM, Xi'an NO.8 Hospital, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China.
3. Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Xi'an NO.8 Hospital, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China.
4. Department of Infection, Xi'an NO.8 Hospital, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China.
5. Institute of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
6. Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Anosmia; COVID-19; Follow-up; Hyposmia; Imported cases; Olfactory
MeSH: COVID-19/complications*; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Olfaction Disorders/etiology*; Pandemics; Prospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2
From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2022;35(5):402-411
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Objective:The scientific community knows little about the long-term influence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on olfactory dysfunction (OD). With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing worldwide, the risk of imported cases remains high. In China, it is necessary to understand OD in imported cases.
Methods:A prospective follow-up design was adopted. A total of 11 self-reported patients with COVID-19 and OD from Xi'an No. 8 Hospital were followed between August 19, 2021, and December 12, 2021. Demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory and radiological findings, and treatment outcomes were analyzed at admission. We surveyed the patients via telephone for recurrence and sequelae at the 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up.
Results:Eleven patients with OD were enrolled; of these, 54.5% (6/11) had hyposmia and 45.5% (5/11) had anosmia. 63.6% (7/11) reported OD before or on the day of admission as their initial symptom; of these, 42.9% (3/7) described OD as the only symptom. All patients in the study received combined treatment with traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, and 72.7% (8/11) had partially or fully recovered at discharge. In terms of OD recovery at the 12-month follow-up, 45.5% (5/11) reported at least one sequela, 81.8% (9/11) had recovered completely, 18.2% (2/11) had recovered partially, and there were no recurrent cases.
Conclusions:Our data revealed that OD frequently presented as the initial or even the only symptom among imported cases. Most OD improvements occurred in the first 2 weeks after onset, and patients with COVID-19 and OD had favorable treatment outcomes during long-term follow-up. A better understanding of the pathogenesis and appropriate treatment of OD is needed to guide clinicians in the care of these patients.