Characteristics Associated with Olfactory and Taste Disorders in COVID-19.
Neuroepidemiology
; 55(5): 381-386, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1290486
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Olfactory and taste disorders (OTDs) have been reported in COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the mechanisms of which remain unclear. We conducted a detailed analysis of OTDs as part of 2 seroepidemiological investigations of COVID-19 outbreaks.METHODS:
Two retrospective cohort studies were conducted in a high school and primary schools of Northern France following a COVID-19 epidemic in February-March 2020. Students, their relatives, and school staff were included. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were identified using a flow-cytometry-based assay detecting anti-S IgG.RESULTS:
Among 2,004 participants (median [IQR] age 31 [11-43] years), 303 (15.2%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. OTDs were present in 91 (30.0%) and 92 (30.3%) of them, respectively, and had 85.1 and 78.0% positive predictive values for SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively. In seropositive participants, OTDs were independently associated with an age above 18 years, female gender, fatigue, and headache.CONCLUSION:
This study confirms the higher frequency of OTDs in females than males and adults than children. Their high predictive value for the diagnosis of COVID-19 suggests that they should be systematically searched for in patients with respiratory symptoms, fever, or headache. The association of OTDs with headache, not previously reported, suggests that they share a common mechanism, which deserves further investigation.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Taste Disorders
/
COVID-19
/
Olfaction Disorders
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Humans
/
Young adult
Language:
English
Journal:
Neuroepidemiology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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