Abstract
Deficiencies in smell and taste are common symptoms of COVID-19. Quantitative losses are well surveyed. This study focuses on qualitative changes such as phantosmia (hallucination of smell), parosmia (alteration of smell), and dysgeusia (alteration of taste) and possible connections with the adaptive immune system. Subjective experience of deficiency in taste and smell was assessed by two different questionnaires after a median of 100 and 244 days after first positive RT-PCR test. SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels were measured with the iFlash-SARS-CoV-2 assay. After 100 days a psychophysical screening test for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction was administered. 30 of 44 (68.2%) participants reported a chemosensory dysfunction (14 quantitative, 6 qualitative, 10 quantitative, and qualitative) during COVID-19, eleven (25.0%) participants (1 quantitative, 7 qualitative, 3 quantitative, and quantity) after 100 days, and 14 (31.8%) participants (1 quantitative, 10 qualitative, 3 quantitative and qualitative) after 244 days. Four (9.1%) participants, who were symptom-free after 100 days reported now recently arisen qualitative changes. Serological and T-cell analysis showed no correlation with impairment of taste and smell. In conclusion, qualitative changes can persist for several months and occur as late-onset symptoms months after full recovery from COVID-19-induced quantitative losses in taste and smell.
Highlights
In the coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic several studies showed that deficiencies in smell and taste are frequent symptoms in patients diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and these symptoms can be used as early markers of the disease [1,2,3]
Gustatory function during COVID-19 was assessed by the question if participants had experienced a dysfunction in taste during the acute illness (“no”, or if “yes” was selected participants would further specify with the options “diminished”/“changed”/“hallucinated” and in addition describe the sensation.)
Focusing on the nature of qualitative changes in taste and smell in our second questionnaire (Q2), this study reports on the subjective experience of phantosmia, parosmia, and dysgeusia after infection with SARS-CoV-2
Summary
In the coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic several studies showed that deficiencies in smell and taste are frequent symptoms in patients diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and these symptoms can be used as early markers of the disease [1,2,3]. To date there are case reports on qualitative changes in olfactory and gustatory function, such as phantosmia (hallucination of smell), parosmia (alteration of smell), and dysgeusia. Med. 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW of 14 persisting olfactory dysfunction report a lower quality of life due to depression, anxiety, interference with daily routines and problems with enjoyment of food [15,16,17]. Our substudy focuses with persisting olfactory dysfunction report a lower quality of life due to depression, on qualitative changes in olfactory and gustatory function after infection with SARS-CoV-2. Substudy focuses on qualitative changes in and gustatory function after infection of phantosmia, we provide detailed descriptions ofolfactory the participants’. Antibody levels were tracked over the course of the study to gustatory dysfunction during COVID-19 illness, as well as after a median of 100 and 244 investigate possible of immune response and impairments days. Methods course of the to investigate possible correlations of immune response and impairments of taste and smell
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