Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Aug;10(8):955-962.
doi: 10.1002/alr.22610. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Smell and taste alterations in COVID-19: a cross-sectional analysis of different cohorts

Alberto Paderno  1 , Alberto Schreiber  1 , Alberto Grammatica  1 , Elena Raffetti  2 , Michele Tomasoni  1 , Tommaso Gualtieri  1 , Stefano Taboni  1 , Silvia Zorzi  1 , Davide Lombardi  1 , Alberto Deganello  1 , Luca Oscar Redaelli De Zinis  1 , Roberto Maroldi  3 , Davide Mattavelli  1
Affiliations

Smell and taste alterations in COVID-19: a cross-sectional analysis of different cohorts

Alberto Paderno et al. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Olfactory (OD) and gustatory (GD) dysfunction have been proven to be a typical symptom of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, their prevalence in different patient populations still needs to be clarified.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from March 27 to April 1, 2020, in Northern Italy. Physicians administered a survey-based questionnaire to SARS-CoV-2-positive patients with the aim of assessing symptoms, focusing on OD and GD. Two groups were studied: group A, patients hospitalized at Azianda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Spedali Civili University Hospital of Brescia; and group B, home-quarantined subjects.

Results: A total of 508 patients were enrolled: 295 in group A and 213 in group B. Mean age ± standard deviation (SD) was 55 ± 15 years; 56% were men. Overall, OD and GD were present in 56% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51% to 60%) and 63% (95% CI, 59% to 67%) of cases, respectively. In group A, the prevalence of OD and GD was 44% (95% CI, 38% to 50%) and 52% (95% CI, 46% to 58%), respectively. In group B, the prevalence of OD and GD was 72% (95% CI, 65% to 79%) and 79% (95% CI, 73% to 84%), respectively. In the entire cohort, total loss of olfaction and taste was reported in 64% and 60% of cases, respectively. OD and GD occurred as the first symptom in 10% and 11% of cases, respectively; in the remaining cases, they occurred after a mean of 4 ± 3 days following the first symptom. At the time of the questionnaire, complete resolution of OD and GD was reported in 52% and 55% of cases, respectively (mean duration, 9 ± 5 days in both).

Conclusion: OD and GD are more prevalent in home-quarantined subjects, and they are independently associated with younger age and female gender.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; gustatory dysfunction; olfactory dysfunction; smell; taste.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Network analysis. Blue and red lines indicate positive and negative interconnections, respectively. Thicker lines indicate stronger interconnections.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Zou L, Ruan F, Huang M, et al. SARS‐CoV‐2 viral load in upper respiratory specimens of infected patients. N Engl J Med. 2020;382:1177‐1179. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lipsitch M, Cohen T, Cooper B, et al. Transmission dynamics and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Science. 2003;300:1966‐1970. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Li R, Pei S, Chen B, et al. Substantial undocumented infection facilitates the rapid dissemination of novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV2). Science. 2020;368:489‐493. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Giacomelli A, Pezzati L, Conti F, et al. Self‐reported olfactory and taste disorders in SARS‐CoV‐2 patients: a cross‐sectional study. Clin Infect Dis. (in press). Epub March 26, 2020. 10.1093/cid/ciaa330. Accessed June 7, 2020. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lechien JR, Chiesa‐Estomba CM, De Siati DR, et al. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions as a clinical presentation of mild‐to‐moderate forms of the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19): a multicenter European study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. (in press). Epub April 6, 2020. 10.1007/s00405-020-05965-1. Accessed June 7, 2020. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

MeSH terms