Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Hypo/anosmia is a characteristic symptom of COVID-19 infection. The aim of this study is to investigate the time of smell recovery and to identify a possible order of perception recovery of different odors in COVID-19 patients. <i>Materials and Met...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/9/1511 |
| _version_ | 1797578938991509504 |
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| author | Barbara Verro Giulia Vivoli Carmelo Saraniti |
| author_facet | Barbara Verro Giulia Vivoli Carmelo Saraniti |
| author_sort | Barbara Verro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Hypo/anosmia is a characteristic symptom of COVID-19 infection. The aim of this study is to investigate the time of smell recovery and to identify a possible order of perception recovery of different odors in COVID-19 patients. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A prospective observational study was conducted on not hospitalized COVID-19 patients, selected according to eligible criteria. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee. A questionnaire formulated by our team was submitted to patients in order to know the duration of the hypo/anosmia and hypo/ageusia and the order of odor recovery: vanillin (mixed olfactory/gustatory substances), phenyl ethyl alcohol (rosewater) (pure olfactory substances), eucalyptol (mixed olfactory/trigeminal substances), and eugenol (mixed olfactory/trigeminal/gustatory substances). <i>Results</i>: 181 patients were included. Hypo/ageusia and hypo/anosmia lasted on average 10.25 (±8.26) and 12.8 (±8.80) days, respectively. The most frequent odor recovery sequence was: (1) phenyl ethyl alcohol; (2) eucalyptol; (3) vanillin; and (4) eugenol. In COVID-19 patients, hypo/anosmia occurs more often in women and at a young age. <i>Conclusions</i>: This preliminary investigation highlighted novel data: there is a chronological order in perception recovery of different olfactory substances and, therefore, in the restoration of the various sensitive nerve pathways involved in the sense of smell. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:28:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e415c56320f498f95ae207c21eba097 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:28:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e415c56320f498f95ae207c21eba0972023-11-19T11:50:56ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442023-08-01599151110.3390/medicina59091511Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary StudyBarbara Verro0Giulia Vivoli1Carmelo Saraniti2Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, ItalyDivision of Plastic, Reconstructive, Microvascular and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Maternal-Infant and Adult Surgical Medical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, ItalyDivision of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Hypo/anosmia is a characteristic symptom of COVID-19 infection. The aim of this study is to investigate the time of smell recovery and to identify a possible order of perception recovery of different odors in COVID-19 patients. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A prospective observational study was conducted on not hospitalized COVID-19 patients, selected according to eligible criteria. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee. A questionnaire formulated by our team was submitted to patients in order to know the duration of the hypo/anosmia and hypo/ageusia and the order of odor recovery: vanillin (mixed olfactory/gustatory substances), phenyl ethyl alcohol (rosewater) (pure olfactory substances), eucalyptol (mixed olfactory/trigeminal substances), and eugenol (mixed olfactory/trigeminal/gustatory substances). <i>Results</i>: 181 patients were included. Hypo/ageusia and hypo/anosmia lasted on average 10.25 (±8.26) and 12.8 (±8.80) days, respectively. The most frequent odor recovery sequence was: (1) phenyl ethyl alcohol; (2) eucalyptol; (3) vanillin; and (4) eugenol. In COVID-19 patients, hypo/anosmia occurs more often in women and at a young age. <i>Conclusions</i>: This preliminary investigation highlighted novel data: there is a chronological order in perception recovery of different olfactory substances and, therefore, in the restoration of the various sensitive nerve pathways involved in the sense of smell.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/9/1511coronavirushyposmiaanosmiaolfactory perceptionolfaction disorders |
| spellingShingle | Barbara Verro Giulia Vivoli Carmelo Saraniti Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study Medicina coronavirus hyposmia anosmia olfactory perception olfaction disorders |
| title | Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study |
| title_full | Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study |
| title_fullStr | Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study |
| title_short | Hyposmia in COVID-19: Temporal Recovery of Smell: A Preliminary Study |
| title_sort | hyposmia in covid 19 temporal recovery of smell a preliminary study |
| topic | coronavirus hyposmia anosmia olfactory perception olfaction disorders |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/9/1511 |
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