Features of anosmia in COVID-19

Med Mal Infect. 2020 Aug;50(5):436-439. doi: 10.1016/j.medmal.2020.04.006. Epub 2020 Apr 17.

Abstract

Background: Medical publications about anosmia with COVID-19 are scarce. We aimed to describe the prevalence and features of anosmia in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We retrospectively included COVID-19 patients with anosmia between March 1st and March 17th, 2020. We used SARS-CoV-2 real time PCR in respiratory samples to confirm the cases.

Results: Fifty-four of 114 patients (47%) with confirmed COVID-19 reported anosmia. Mean age of the 54 patients was 47 (±16) years; 67% were females and 37% were hospitalised. The median Charlson comorbidity index was 0.70 (±1.6 [0-7]). Forty-six patients (85%) had dysgeusia and 28% presented with pneumonia. Anosmia began 4.4 (±1.9 [1-8]) days after infection onset. The mean duration of anosmia was 8.9 (±6.3 [1-21]) days and 98% of patients recovered within 28 days.

Conclusions: Anosmia was present in half of our European COVID-19 patients and was often associated with dysgeusia.

Keywords: Anosmia; COVID-19; Dysgeusia.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Betacoronavirus / physiology
  • COVID-19
  • Cohort Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / therapy
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Olfaction Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Olfaction Disorders / therapy
  • Olfaction Disorders / virology*
  • Oxygen Inhalation Therapy
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia / physiopathology
  • Pneumonia / therapy
  • Pneumonia / virology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / therapy
  • Prevalence
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Time Factors