Objective screening for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective study in healthcare workers using self-administered testing  

作　　者：Austin C.Cao Zachary M.Nimmo Natasha Mirza Noam A.Cohen Robert M.Brody Richard L.Doty 

机构地区：[1]Perelman School of Medicine,University of Pennsylvania,Philadelphia,PA,USA [2]Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery,University of Pennsylvania,Philadelphia,PA,USA [3]Corporal Michael J.Crescenz Veterans Administration Medical Center,Philadelphia,PA,USA [4]Monell Chemical Senses Center,Philadelphia,PA,USA

出　　处：《World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery》2022年第3期249-256,共8页世界耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志（英文）

摘　　要：Background: Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID-19 patients suggests that self-reported measures are insufficient for capturing patients with chemosensory dysfunction.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of recent COVID-19 infection on chemosensory function and demonstrate the use of at-home objective smell and taste testing in an at-risk population of healthcare workers.Methods: Two hundred and fifty healthcare workers were screened for possible loss of smell and taste using online surveys. Self-administered smell and taste tests were mailed to respondents meeting criteria for elevated risk of infection, and one-month follow-up surveys were completed.Results: Among subjects with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, 73% reported symptoms of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction. Self-reported smell and taste loss were both strong predictors of COVID-19 positivity. Subjects with evidence of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection (<45 days) had significantly lower olfactory scores but equivalent gustatory scores compared to other subjects. There was a time-dependent increase in smell scores but not in taste scores among subjects with prior infection and chemosensory symptoms. The overall infection rate was 4.4%, with 2.5% reported by PCR swab.Conclusion: Healthcare workers with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection had reduced olfaction and normal gustation on self-administered objective testing compared to those without infection. Rates of infection and chemosensory symptoms in our cohort of healthcare workers reflect those of the general public.

关 键 词：ANOSMIA Brief Smell Identification Test Chemosensory dysfunction COVID-19 Dysgeusia GUSTATION Healthcare workers Objective testing Olfaction SCREENING University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test 

分 类 号：R563.1[医药卫生—呼吸系统]