Smell and taste dysfunction in patients infected with the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2

Abstract

Background Smell and taste dysfunctions (STD) are frequently observed in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Objectives To investigate the clinical characteristics of STD in COVID-19 patients. Material and Methods One-hundred six COVID-19 adult patients with the Omicron variant were enrolled. The clinical features of patients with and without STD were compared using questionnaires, laboratory tests, and imaging examinations. Results Of the 76 patients with smell and/or taste dysfunction, age (p = .002), vaccination time (p = .024), history of systemic diseases (p = .032), and smoking status (p = .044) were significantly different from those of the controls (n = 34). Fatigue (p = .001), headache (p = .004), myalgia (p = .047), and gastrointestinal discomfort (p = .001) were observed more frequently in these patients than in controls. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score of these patients was significantly higher than that of controls (p < .001). The taste visual assessment scale score of the STD group was significantly lower than that of the taste dysfunction group (p = .001), and perceptions of sour, sweet, and salty tastes were worse in the STD group than in the taste dysfunction group (p < .001). Conclusions and Significance COVID-19 patients had similar changes in smell and/or taste dysfunctions and worse emotional states, possibly correlated with some factors, including age and vaccination time.