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Objective evaluation of anosmia and ageusia in  COVID-19 patients: a single-center experience on 72 cases.            
  • Luigi Angelo Vaira, MD
Luigi Angelo Vaira, MD
University Hospital of Sassari,

Corresponding Author:albell@mdanderson.org

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Abstract

Background. The firsts European case series are detecting a very high frequency of chemosensitive disorders in COVID-19 patients, ranging between 19.4% and 88%.Methods. Olfactory and gustatory function was objectively tested in 72 COVID-19 patients treated at University Hospital of Sassari.Results Overall, 73.6% of the patients reported having or having had chemosensitive disorders. Olfactory assessment showed variable degree hyposmia in 60 cases and anosmia in 2 patients. Gustatory assessment revealed hypogeusia in 33 cases and complete ageusia in 1 patient. Statistically significant differences in chemosensitive recovery were detected based on age and distance from the onset of clinical manifestations.Conclusion. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions represent common clinical findings in COVID-19 patients. Otolaryngologists and head-neck surgeons must by now keep this diagnostic option in mind when evaluating cases of ageusia and nonspecific anosmia that arose suddenly and are not associated with rhinitis symptoms