ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim: To analyse the structure of sensory impairments, associated with COVID-19. To identify terms of recovery periods depending on severity of disease, age and gender of the patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Within two weeks, 2225 patients with confirmed COVID-19 completed a questionnaire, created by Google Forms. General complaints, peculiarities of sensory impairments and recovery time were specified. After exclusion criteria application, data of 2108 patients were analyzed by R Statistics Package, Student's t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Fisher's exact test, Spearman's rank test. RESULTS: Results: Among patients enrolled (973 males and 1135 females, mean age 28.6±0.18) the most frequent were olfactory (91.32%) and gustatory (66.03%) dysfunctions. Olfactory manifestations were usually accompanied by gustatory disorders (73.72%). Average duration of olfactory dysfunction was 15.46±0.45 days, gustatory - 11.3±0.33, hearing - 4.3±0.16, and visual - 6.53±0.23 days. It was found a correlation between duration of olfactory and gustatory impairments (r=0.65; p < 0.001), hearing and visual disorders (r=0.49; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Olfactory and gustatory disorders are prevalent symptoms in Ukrainian population. 7.87% of respondents who had impairment of all four sensory functions had the longest recovery time. Duration of sensory impairments did not depend on age, type of treatment and severity of disease, which rises the question about the neurogenic pathway of virus.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Olfaction Disorders , Adult , COVID-19/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , Olfaction Disorders/diagnosis , Olfaction Disorders/epidemiology , Prevalence , SARS-CoV-2 , Taste Disorders/diagnosis , Taste Disorders/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The biological effects of noise depend on its physical parameters, combination with other hazards, the content of acoustic signals. This article aimed to analyze the difference in biological effects caused by the selection of nonverbal and verbal signals in conditions of a high level of work intensity. METHODS: Work conditions, physical characteristics of noise, levels of work intensity were studied among 75 telephone operators and 96 geophone operators. Levels of permanent hearing thresholds, evaluated by pure-tone audiometry, and results of self-estimation of operators' health were compared. The contribution of the content of acoustic signals in the shifting of hearing thresholds was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Selection of acoustic signals in the noise background (< 65 dB), in conditions of high work intensity, causes a significant increase of permanent hearing thresholds in both studied groups comparing to the non-noise exposed population. A combination of the high level of work intensity and distinguishing of nonverbal acoustic messages leads to significant deterioration of health resulting in decreasing of hearing sensitivity and a number of complaints on the state of health (p < 0.05). The content of acoustic signals significantly contributes to the biological effects of the nose. CONCLUSION: Obtained results testify necessity to revise safe criteria of noise levels for workers, engaged in selection, recognition and distinguishing of acoustic messages in the noise background combined with a high level of work intensity. In case when the energy of the acoustic field cannot be reduced, occupational safety measures should focus on decreasing of work intensity.
