Otorhinolaryngological manifestations of COVID-19 infection

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 manifests itself in a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, both in terms of their variety and severity. It can be asymptomatic or abortive, mild, moderate, severe and fulminant, i.e. having a septic course with multiple organ failure and shock. Typical leading symptoms of COVID-19 include high fever poorly responding to drugs, severe loss of strength, chest pain, dyspnoea, headaches, bone and joint pain and muscle pain, and finally the onset of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, other symptoms not related to the lower respiratory tract involvement are also mentioned as possible in numerous publications. These include gastrointestinal disorders, damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, and dysfunctions of the sensory organs. The aim of this literature review was to determine the frequency of various head and neck dysfunctions that are part of COVID-19. Symptoms of conjunctivitis, nasal mucostis, pharyngits and laryngitis are reported by about 3/4 of patients, albeit they do not always occur at the same time, as in infections caused, for example, by rhinoviruses. Anosmia/hyposmia or ageusia/hypogeusia occur with a similar frequency. Symptoms of damage to the equilibrium system, such as dizziness, are reported by approx. 1/3 of patients, vertigo and hearing loss by approx. 5-6%, of patients, tinnitus by approx. 10% of patients. To date, reports of peripheral paresis of the facial nerve coexisting with COVID-19 are relatively scarce and the symptom is often included in the category of neurological symptoms, the frequency of which also corresponds to about 1/3 of COVID-19 cases. Importantly, both catarrhal and other symptoms listed herein may precede, co-occur or follow the onset of the leading symptoms of COVID-19. They can also be the only symptoms of this disease. This should prompt otorhinolaryngologists to be particularly vigilant in this regard. © 2021 Index Copernicus International. All right reserved.