Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial

Abstract Background Olfactory dysfunction can be a troublesome condition affecting the quality of life of the patient. Post-viral olfactory dysfunction is the most common cause attributing to up to 40% of anosmia. COVID-19 infection commonly causes anosmia in 30–66% of patients. The long-term effect...

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Main Authors: Hisham Lasheen, Mohamed Aly Abou-Zeid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2023-08-01
Series:The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43163-023-00478-0
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author Hisham Lasheen
Mohamed Aly Abou-Zeid
author_facet Hisham Lasheen
Mohamed Aly Abou-Zeid
author_sort Hisham Lasheen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Olfactory dysfunction can be a troublesome condition affecting the quality of life of the patient. Post-viral olfactory dysfunction is the most common cause attributing to up to 40% of anosmia. COVID-19 infection commonly causes anosmia in 30–66% of patients. The long-term effect of post-COVID olfactory dysfunction is reported to be increasing in incidence. Steroids are usually used in the treatment of olfactory dysfunction and most commonly used locally in the form of nasal steroid sprays, rinses, or drops. Oral systemic steroids are sometimes used; however, they have several known side effects. Other treatments experimented include giving vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies, in addition to olfactory training, counseling, and acupuncture. In this study, the effect of intranasal steroid injection is studied in post-COVID olfactory dysfunction. Results Forty patients with olfactory dysfunction post-COVID-19 for more than 3 months were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A patients received 8 doses of dexamethasone over 2 months (twice weekly) injected near the olfactory mucosa in the nasal septum and middle turbinate, compared to group B who received saline injected in the same way as placebo. Numerically, nasal injection of corticosteroids in group A showed more subjective improvement using the questionnaire of olfactory disorders-negative statement QOD-NS than the control patients in group B but this improvement was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The use of intranasal corticosteroids injection should be considered in the treatment of post-COVID anosmia.
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spelling doaj.art-8ba250a4d2b14690828f86391f6ae70b2023-08-06T11:04:49ZengSpringerOpenThe Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology2090-85392023-08-013911710.1186/s43163-023-00478-0Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trialHisham Lasheen0Mohamed Aly Abou-Zeid1Otolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo UniversityOtolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo UniversityAbstract Background Olfactory dysfunction can be a troublesome condition affecting the quality of life of the patient. Post-viral olfactory dysfunction is the most common cause attributing to up to 40% of anosmia. COVID-19 infection commonly causes anosmia in 30–66% of patients. The long-term effect of post-COVID olfactory dysfunction is reported to be increasing in incidence. Steroids are usually used in the treatment of olfactory dysfunction and most commonly used locally in the form of nasal steroid sprays, rinses, or drops. Oral systemic steroids are sometimes used; however, they have several known side effects. Other treatments experimented include giving vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies, in addition to olfactory training, counseling, and acupuncture. In this study, the effect of intranasal steroid injection is studied in post-COVID olfactory dysfunction. Results Forty patients with olfactory dysfunction post-COVID-19 for more than 3 months were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A patients received 8 doses of dexamethasone over 2 months (twice weekly) injected near the olfactory mucosa in the nasal septum and middle turbinate, compared to group B who received saline injected in the same way as placebo. Numerically, nasal injection of corticosteroids in group A showed more subjective improvement using the questionnaire of olfactory disorders-negative statement QOD-NS than the control patients in group B but this improvement was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The use of intranasal corticosteroids injection should be considered in the treatment of post-COVID anosmia.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43163-023-00478-0COVID-19CorticosteroidsIntranasal injectionOlfactory dysfunction
spellingShingle Hisham Lasheen
Mohamed Aly Abou-Zeid
Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial
The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology
COVID-19
Corticosteroids
Intranasal injection
Olfactory dysfunction
title Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial
title_full Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial
title_fullStr Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial
title_full_unstemmed Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial
title_short Olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction: a randomized control trial
title_sort olfactory mucosa steroid injection in treatment of post covid 19 olfactory dysfunction a randomized control trial
topic COVID-19
Corticosteroids
Intranasal injection
Olfactory dysfunction
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43163-023-00478-0
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