ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although there are a limited number of studies investigating the changes in olfactory bulb volume (OBV) and olfactory sulcus depth (OSD) values in the acute and subacute periods after COVID-19 infection, there are no studies conducted in the chronic period. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to reveal the changes in OBV and OSD after COVID-19 in the chronic period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 83 people were included in our study, including 42 normal healthy individuals (control group) and 41 patients with COVID-19 infection (10-12 months after infection). RESULTS: The COVID-19 group included 41 patients with the mean age 40.27 ± 14.5 years and the control group included 42 individuals with the mean age 40.27 ± 14.4. The mean OBV was 67.97 ± 14.27 mm3 in the COVID-19 group and 94.21 ± 7.56 mm3 in the control group. The mean OSD was 7.98 ± 0.37 mm in the COVID-19 group and 8.82 ± 0.74 mm in the control group. Left, right, and mean OBVs and OSD were significantly lower in patients with COVID- 19 than the control individuals (all p < .05). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that COVID-19 infection causes a significant decrease in the OBV and OSD measurements in the chronic period.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/pathology , Olfaction Disorders/pathology , Olfaction Disorders/virology , Olfactory Bulb/pathology , Prefrontal Cortex/pathology , Aged , COVID-19/diagnostic imaging , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Olfaction Disorders/diagnostic imaging , Olfactory Bulb/diagnostic imaging , Organ Size , Prefrontal Cortex/diagnostic imaging , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Coronaviruses may lead to invasion of the central nervous system. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of COVID-19 infection on smell using cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cranial MRI scans of 23 patients with COVID-19 (patient group [PG]) and 23 healthy controls (HCs) were evaluated. Peripheric (olfactory bulb [OB] volume and olfactory sulcus [OS] depth) and central (insular gyrus and corpus amygdala areas) smell regions were measured. RESULTS: Smell loss was present in nine patients (39.1%) in the PG. The means of the disease duration and antiviral treatment were 3.00 ± 2.35 and 5.65 ± 1.72 days, respectively. OB volumes of the PG were significantly lower than those of the HCs bilaterally. However, no significant differences were observed between the OS depth, insular gyrus, and corpus amygdala areas of both groups. The left corpus amygdala areas were both increased with the increased disease (P = 0.035, r = 0.442) and treatment durations (P = 0.037, r = 0.438). In the PG, longer treatment duration, increase in C-reactive protein (CRP), lymphocyte count decrease, and positive thoracic computed tomography (CT) involvement were related to OS depth decrease. Right corpus amygdala areas increased in patients with COVID-19 with increased D-dimer values, and thoracic CT involvement was detected. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 disease affects the peripheric smell region of OBs and does not affect the central smell regions of the insular gyrus and corpus amygdala areas. The importance of our study is to detect MRI findings in patients with COVID-19 leading to odor disorders. These findings may help in diagnosing the disease at an early stage.