Anosmia in COVID-19 Patients: Can We Predict the Severity of Chest Manifestations?

Abstract Introduction Anosmia is one of the common symptoms of COVID-19, the link between severity of chest infection and anosmia was investigated by few studies. Objectives To find an association between anosmia and severity of chest infection. Methods An analysis of patients admitted to isolation hospital of our university with confirmed polymerase chain reaction positive testing for COVID-19, between March 2021 until September 2021. We called all patients who reported anosmia during their time of illness and asked them about anosmia. We examined their chest CT. A statistical analysis was done. Results A total of 140 patients completed the study; 65% were female and 56.4% had complete anosmia. Anosmia was significantly associated with loss of taste. Smell returned in 92.5% of anosmic patients. Duration of smell loss was ~ 2 weeks in 40.5%. The most common symptoms associated with anosmia were running nose, sore throat, fever, and cough. Loss of smell was significantly associated with mild chest disease. 73.4% of anosmic patients had mild chest infection, 21.5% of them had moderate infection, and 5.1% had severe chest infection. Conclusion The pattern of anosmia in COVID-19 patients has some common similarities in general; the way it starts, the associated symptoms, the time until smell returns and, the most important, the severity of chest infection. As anosmia is significantly associated with mild chest infection. the presence of anosmia could be an independent predictor of good COVID-19 outcome as reflected by a lower disease severity and less frequent ICU admissions.

Anosmia in COVID-19 Patients: Can We Predict the Severity of Chest Manifestations?

Introduction Anosmia is one of the common symptoms of COVID-19, the link between severity of chest infection and anosmia was investigated by few studies. Objectives To find an association between anosmia and severity of chest infection. Methods An analysis of patients admitted to isolation hospital of our university with confirmed polymerase chain reaction positive testing for COVID-19, between March 2021 until September 2021. We called all patients who reported anosmia during their time of illness and asked them about anosmia. We examined their chest CT. A statistical analysis was done. Results A total of 140 patients completed the study; 65% were female and 56.4% had complete anosmia. Anosmia was significantly associated with loss of taste. Smell returned in 92.5% of anosmic patients. Duration of smell loss was ∼ 2 weeks in 40.5%. The most common symptoms associated with anosmia were running nose, sore throat, fever, and cough. Loss of smell was significantly associated with mild chest disease. 73.4% of anosmic patients had mild chest infection, 21.5% of them had moderate infection, and 5.1% had severe chest infection. Conclusion The pattern of anosmia in COVID-19 patients has some common similarities in general; the way it starts, the associated symptoms, the time until smell returns and, the most important, the severity of chest infection. As anosmia is significantly associated with mild chest infection. the presence of anosmia could be an independent predictor of good COVID-19 outcome as reflected by a lower disease severity and less frequent ICU admissions.

Modified Z-Palatoplasty for Correction of Acquired Nasopharyngeal Stenosis Following Palatal Surgery: A Case Series.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of a novel surgical technique in management of nasopharyngeal stenosis (NPS), describing its steps and results. Study Design: Prospective clinical trial. SETTING: This study was conducted at the Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Zagazig University. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on patients with snoring ± obstructive sleep apnea due to acquired postsurgical NPS of grade Ι and ΙΙ. New surgical repair was employed on the patients and the pre and postoperative results were statistically compared. RESULTS: The grade of NPS improved significantly postoperatively (P = .00136) throughout a follow-up of 1 year. Postoperatively, there was statistically significant improvement of apnea hypopnea index (P = .0005), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of nasal obstruction (P < .0001) and VAS of snoring (P < .0001). Dysphagia showed early worsening, but it improved completely at 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The utilized novel procedure appears effective, low cost, and easily applicable, and it does not require implants, special tools, or suture materials. Furthermore, it gives excellent results, with negligible pain, and rapid recovery without significant complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Analysis of Ear, Nose and Throat Manifestations in COVID-19 Patients.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically spread all over the world, crossing the borders of all countries. It is presented mainly by lower respiratory tract symptoms such as fever, cough, dyspnea, and chest tightness. However, COVID-19 causes different upper respiratory tract-related symptoms including nasal congestion, sore throat, and olfactory dysfunction. Objective To discuss different ear, nose and throat (ENT) manifestations in COVID-19-positive patients and their relation to other manifestations and to the severity of COVID-19. Methods We detected ENT manifestations in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed positive COVID-19 patients at Zagazig Isolation Hospitals (Zagazig University hospitals, Zagazig Chest hospital, Al-Ahrar hospital, and Zagazig Fever hospital) with proportional allocation in the period from April 15 to June 15, 2020. All patients were subjected to full history taking and COVID-19 was categorized into 4 classes of severity after all patients underwent computed tomography (CT) of the chest. Afterwards, the collected data was analyzed and compared. Results Among the included 120 COVID-19 patients, the most frequent reported ENT manifestations were; sore throat (30%), nasal congestion (28.3%), nasal obstruction (26.7%), sneezing (26.6%), headache (25%), smell and taste dysfunction (25%), rhinorrhea (20%), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (15%), and tonsil enlargement (10%). The most common non-ENT manifestations were fever (88.3%), cough (63.3%), and dyspnea (45%). Conclusion Fever and cough are the dominant symptoms of COVID-19, but ENT manifestations for COVID-19 are common and should be a part of the suspected clinical criteria for COVID-19, particularly if the nasal examination was nonsignificant. The most common symptoms are sore throat, followed by nasal congestion and obstruction, headache, and lastly, olfactory dysfunction.

Powered intracapsular tonsillotomy vs. conventional extracapsular tonsillectomy for pediatric OSA: A retrospective study about efficacy, complications and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the results of powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA) with that of conventional extracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (ECTA) in treatment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as regard efficacy, complications including postoperative pain and bleeding, and quality of life. METHODS: Four hundred fifty children with adenotonsillar hyperplasia (with age range from 3 to 14 years) underwent tonsillectomy ± adenoidectomy (251 PITA and 199 ECTA) from January 2012 till October 2014 for OSA. Outcome measures included Obstructive Sleep Apnea Survey (OSA-18), the number of cases treated for post tonsillectomy bleeding with particular regard to the number of cases that needed readmission, the need for analgesics, the visual analog scale (VAS) for post-operative pain, the perceived satisfaction assessed by post tonsillectomy quality of life questionnaire (QOL). RESULTS: OSA-18 scores proved that both PITA and ECTA were equally effective in curing upper airway obstructive symptoms as reflected by the targeted questionnaire. Postoperative bleeding was significantly lower in the PITA group (P<0.01). Postoperative pain and number of needed analgesic doses were significantly lower in the PITA group (P=0.01, P<0.01, respectively). Satisfaction and quality of life were significantly higher in the PITA group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: PITA is proved to be effective in treating pediatric OSA with less morbidity, less complications in terms of postoperative bleeding mainly with better satisfaction and lower incidence of regrowth.

Barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (BRP) for OSAHS: a feasibility, safety, efficacy and teachability pilot study. "We are on the giant's shoulders".

A new palatal procedure for snoring/obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is described. The procedure was named as barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (BRP). The technique is described step by step. The new surgical technique was carried out in ten adult OSA patients with mean age of 53.4 ± 12.4 years (average 30-70) with confirmed retropalatal obstruction. In this pilot study; we assessed the feasibility by calculating the number of cases that failed to be operated and converted to other palatal technique during the same surgical setting, safety was assessed by evaluating both intra-operative and post-operative complications, teachability measured by the learning curve of our team members (the time of surgical procedure). In this study, the technique is proved to be feasible in all cases. There were no significant intra-operative or post-operative complications. Objective clinical improvement was confirmed by polysomnography 6 months post-operative with significant decrease in mean AHI from 43.65 ± 26.83 to 13.57 ± 15.41 (P = 0.007), daytime sleepiness assessed by Epworth Sleepiness Scale from 11.6 ± 4.86 to 4.3 ± 2 (P < 0.01), ODI from 44.7 ± 27.3 to 12.9 ± 16.3 (P = 0.004). Operative time decreased over the course of the study with an initial steep ascent in technical skill acquisition followed by more gradual improvement, and a steady decrease in operative time to as short as 20 min. Our preliminary results suggest that BRP technique is feasible, safe and effective in management of OSA patients. Moreover, it is easy to learn even for not experienced surgeons, less time consuming and with no significant complications.

Swallowing outcome after TORS for sleep apnea: short- and long-term evaluation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes related to swallowing function in patients who underwent transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for sleep apnea on both short- and long-term scales. 78 patients who underwent TORS for sleep apnea between 2011 and 2014 were followed up for an average period of 20 ± 7.12 months (range 7-32 months), then swallowing outcomes determined by MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) questionnaire, gastrografin fluoroscopy imaging results, nasogastric tube dependence and subjectively by recording the patients' complaints were analyzed and reported. Minimal insignificant short-term impact on swallowing function (4.58 ± 7.03 preoperative MDADI score versus 5.18 ± 8.32 post-operative) (p = 0.56) was registered. Mean time for start of oral feeding was 1.05 ± 0.25 days (average, 1-3). In no case nasogastric tube feeding was required. Only five patients (6 %) showed significant aspiration on gastrografin fluoroscopy examination after 1 week; there was no significant correlation between the volume of tissue removed from both tongue base and epiglottis to the incidence of aspiration as shown by gastrografin fluoroscopy examination (p = 0.72). No long-term swallowing complaint was registered. Patients who underwent TORS tongue base reduction and supraglottoplasty for sleep apnea proved to have a reasonable short-term swallowing outcomes with no long-term sequelae.