Individual importance of olfaction decreases with duration of smell loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
D.T. Liu ◽  
G. Besser ◽  
B. Prem ◽  
M.M. Speth ◽  
A.R. Sedaghat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Importance ◽  
Smell Loss

scholarly journals Effects of COVID-19 on Sense of Smell: Human Factors/Ergonomics Considerations

2021 ◽  
pp. 001872082199016
Author(s):  
E. Leslie Cameron ◽  
Per Møller ◽  
Keith S. Karn
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Olfactory Dysfunction ◽  
System Communication ◽  
Human System ◽  
Sense Of Smell ◽  
Primary Means ◽  
Human Sense ◽  
Smell Loss

Objective We review the effects of COVID-19 on the human sense of smell (olfaction) and discuss implications for human-system interactions. We emphasize how critical smell is and how the widespread loss of smell due to COVID-19 will impact human-system interaction. Background COVID-19 reduces the sense of smell in people who contract the disease. Thus far, olfaction has received relatively little attention from human factors/ergonomics professionals. While smell is not a primary means of human-system communication, humans rely on smell in many important ways related to both quality of life and safety. Method We briefly review and synthesize the rapidly expanding literature through September 2020 on the topic of smell loss caused by COVID-19. We interpret findings in terms of their relevance to human factors/ergonomics researchers and practitioners. Results Since March 2020 dozens of articles have been published that report smell loss in COVID-19 patients. The prevalence and duration of COVID-19-related smell loss is still under investigation, but the available data suggest that it may leave many people with long-term deficits and distortions in sense of smell. Conclusion We suggest that the human factors/ergonomics community could become more aware of the importance of the sense of smell and focus on accommodating the increasing number of people with reduced olfactory performance. Application We present examples of how olfaction can augment human-system communication and how human factors/ergonomics professionals might accommodate people with olfactory dysfunction. While seemingly at odds, both of these goals can be achieved.

scholarly journals Recent smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 among individuals with recent respiratory symptoms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard C Gerkin ◽  
Kathrin Ohla ◽  
Maria G Veldhuizen ◽  
Paule V Joseph ◽  
Christine E Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Onset ◽  
Respiratory Symptom ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Olfactory Loss ◽  
Visual Analog Scales ◽  
Cardinal Symptoms ◽  
Smell Loss

Abstract In a preregistered, cross-sectional study we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0-100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n=4148) or negative (C19-; n=546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery. Both C19+ and C19- groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean±SD, C19+: -82.5±27.2 points; C19-: -59.8±37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both univariate and multivariate models (ROC AUC=0.72). Additional variables provide negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms (e.g., fever). Olfactory recovery within 40 days of respiratory symptom onset was reported for ~50% of participants and was best predicted by time since respiratory symptom onset. We find that quantified smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 amongst those with symptoms of respiratory illness. To aid clinicians and contact tracers in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of having COVID-19, we propose a novel 0-10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss, the ODoR-19. We find that numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4<OR<10). Once independently validated, this tool could be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.

scholarly journals Risk factors and characteristics associated with persistent smell loss in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bita Shahrvini ◽  
Divya P. Prajapati ◽  
Mena Said ◽  
Jacklyn Liu ◽  
Shanmukha Srinivas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Smell Loss

Risk Factors for Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Francesca Galluzzi ◽  
Veronica Rossi ◽  
Cristina Bosetti ◽  
Werner Garavello
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Current Smoking ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Respiratory Allergies ◽  
History Of ◽  
Never Smokers ◽  
Smell Loss ◽  
Relevant Covariates

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Smell and taste loss are characteristic symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted an observational, retrospective study on 376 patients with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, Italy, from March to July 2020. All patients answered a phone questionnaire providing information on age, sex, smoking status, and clinical characteristics. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through logistic regression models including relevant covariates. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in COVID-19 patients was 33.5 and 35.6%, respectively. Olfactory dysfunctions were significantly directly associated with current smoking and history of allergy, the multivariable ORs being 6.53 (95% CI 1.16–36.86) for current smokers versus never smokers, and 1.89 (95% CI 1.05–3.39) for those with an allergy compared to those without any allergy. Respiratory allergy in particular was significantly associated with olfactory dysfunctions (multivariable OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.02–5.17). Significant inverse associations were observed for patients aged 60 years or more (multivariable OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.19–0.57) and hospitalization (multivariable OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.06–0.89). Considering gustatory dysfunctions, after allowance of other variables a significant direct association was found for respiratory allergies (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.03–4.86), and an inverse association was found only for hospitalization (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.06–0.76). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our study indicates that current smoking and history of allergy (particularly respiratory) significantly increase the risk for smell loss in COVID-19 patients; the latter is also significantly associated to taste loss. Hospitalization has an inverse association with the risk of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions, suggesting that these may be symptoms characteristics of less severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

scholarly journals Symptom reporting in over 1 million people: community detection of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Elliott ◽  
Matthew Whitaker ◽  
Barbara Bodinier ◽  
Steven Riley ◽  
Helen Ward ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Appetite Loss ◽  
Sense Of Smell ◽  
Symptom Profiles ◽  
New Variant ◽  
Selection Approach ◽  
Community Transmission ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Smell Loss

SummaryControl of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic requires rapid identification and isolation of infected individuals and their contacts. Community testing in England (Pillar 2) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is reserved for those reporting at least one of four ‘classic’ COVID-19 symptoms (loss or change of sense of smell, loss or change of sense of taste, fever, new continuous cough).1 Detection of positive cases in the community might be improved by including additional symptoms and their combinations. We used data from the REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study to investigate symptom profiles for PCR positivity at different ages. Among rounds 2–7 (June to December 2020), an age-stratified, variable selection approach stably selected chills (all ages), headache (5–17 years), appetite loss (18–54 and 55+ years) and muscle aches (18–54 years) as jointly and positively predictive of PCR positivity together with the classic four symptoms. Between round 7 (November to December 2020) and round 8 (January 2021) when new variant B.1.1.7 predominated, only loss or change of sense of smell (more predictive in round 7) and (borderline) new persistent cough (more predictive in round 8) differed between cases. At any level of PCR testing, triage based on the symptoms identified here would result in more cases detected than the current approach.

scholarly journals Olfactory evaluation in hospitalised and self-isolated patients with COVID-19: a single-centre experience on 55 cases

2021 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2021-140315
Author(s):  
Maja Klarendic ◽  
Eva Zupanic ◽  
Mateja Zalaznik ◽  
Dejan Georgiev ◽  
Janez Tomazic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Acute Onset ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Olfactory Loss ◽  
Hospitalised Patients ◽  
Olfactory Impairment ◽  
And Control ◽  
Smell Loss

BackgroundSmell loss is a common symptom of COVID-19 infection. Majority of the studies that evaluated olfactory impairment in COVID-19 used questionnaires (subjective smell evaluations) and did not compare the results with objective or semiobjective measures of smell. We performed smell testing in hospitalised and self-isolated patients with COVID-19 and control participants.MethodsFifty-five COVID-19 and 44 control participants underwent smell testing, using Burghart Sniffin’ Sticks ‘Screening 12 Test’. Participants also rated their smelling capability on the numerical scale. Differences between groups and correlation between smell loss and time from acute onset of symptoms were tested, as well as correlation between results of smell test and subjective assessment of smell.ResultsHospitalised patients with COVID-19 correctly determined 6.5/12 odorants compared with 10/12 in the self-isolated and 11/12 in the control group (p<0.001). Hyposmia or anosmia were present in 87.5% of hospitalised and 29.0% of self-isolated patients (p<0.001). The correlation between subjective self-assessment and results of smell testing was non-significant in both groups of patients with COVID-19, while there was a moderate positive correlation (p=0.001, Spearman’s correlation coefficient=0.499) in control participants.ConclusionContrary to some previous reports suggesting that the presence of olfactory loss may predict milder course of disease, our study found that a vast majority of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 had prominent olfactory impairment. The absence of correlation between self-rated and objective smell evaluation in patients with COVID-19 indicates that subjective smell assessment is unreliable.

Treatment of smell loss with systemic methylprednisolone

2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-289
Author(s):  
V.A. Schriever ◽  
C. Merkonidis ◽  
N. Gupta ◽  
C. Hummel ◽  
T. Hummel
Keyword(s):  
Patient Population ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Olfactory Dysfunction ◽  
Systemic Corticosteroids ◽  
Large Patient ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Large Patient Population ◽  
Randomized Control ◽  
Smell Loss ◽  
Tdi Score

Background and aim: Olfactory dysfunction is a common complaint in a large number of people. As the aetiologies of olfactory dysfunction vary greatly so do the treatment approaches. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate treatment with systemic corticosteroids, particularly focusing on its effectiveness on the different olfactory dysfunction aetiologies. Although a prospective randomized control trail is preferred for such an investigation, using the current approach, we were able to test a very large patient population. Material and methods: A total of 425 patients with olfactory dysfunction were treated with systemic corticosteroids for 14 days. Olfactory performance was measured using the `Sniffin` Sticks` battery before and after the treatment. Results: The treatment with systemic corticosteroids significantly increased the performance on the TDI score and on each of the three subtests; threshold, discrimination and identification. In 26.6% of the patients improvement of more than six points of the TDI score was observed. The treatment proved to be more effective in patients with sinunasal olfactory dysfunction, where this percentage increased to 36.7, compared to other aetiologies. In addition, the increase in olfactory function was negatively correlated with the TDI score before the treatment. Conclusion: This study confirms the effectiveness of systemic corticosteroids on olfactory dysfunction in a large patient population. Specifically, the results show that treatment is: (a) more effective in patients with sinunasal than in patients with idiopathic olfactory dysfunction, (b) most effective in patients with sinunasal disease with nasal polyps, and (c), at best, effective in half of the patients. The current study may provide help in counselling patients.

scholarly journals Objective sensory testing methods reveal a higher prevalence of olfactory loss in COVID-19–positive patients compared to subjective methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mackenzie E Hannum ◽  
Vicente A Ramirez ◽  
Sarah J Lipson ◽  
Riley D Herriman ◽  
Aurora K Toskala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Subjective Measures ◽  
Partial Loss ◽  
Olfactory Loss ◽  
Point Estimates ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Subjective Measurements ◽  
Smell Loss

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has currently infected over 6.5 million people worldwide. In response to the pandemic, numerous studies have tried to identify causes and symptoms of the disease. Emerging evidence supports recently acquired anosmia (complete loss of smell) and hyposmia (partial loss of smell) as symptoms of COVID-19, but studies of olfactory dysfunction show a wide range of prevalence, from 5% to 98%. We undertook a search of Pubmed/Medline and Google Scholar with the keywords “COVID-19,” “smell,” and/or “olfaction.” We included any study that quantified smell loss (anosmia and hyposmia) as a symptom of COVID-19. Studies were grouped and compared based on the type of method used to measure smell loss—subjective measures such as self-reported smell loss versus objective measures using rated stimuli—to determine if prevalence differed by method type. For each study, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated from point estimates of olfactory disturbances. We identified 34 articles quantifying anosmia as a symptom of COVID-19 (6 objective, 28 subjective), collected from cases identified from January 16 to April 30, 2020. The pooled prevalence estimate of smell loss was 77% when assessed through objective measurements (95% CI of 61.4-89.2%) and 44% with subjective measurements (95% CI of 32.2-57.0%). Objective measures are a more sensitive method to identify smell loss as a result of infection with SARS-CoV-2; the use of subjective measures, while expedient during the early stages of the pandemic, underestimates the true prevalence of smell loss.

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