Clinical and Radiological Evaluations of COVID-19 Patients With Anosmia: Preliminary Report

doi:10.1002/lary.28993

. 2020 Nov;130(11):2526-2531.

doi: 10.1002/lary.28993. Epub 2020 Aug 11.

Clinical and Radiological Evaluations of COVID-19 Patients With Anosmia: Preliminary Report

Jerome R Lechien^#^{1

2

3

4}, Justin Michel^#^{1

5}, Thomas Radulesco^{1

5}, Carlos M Chiesa-Estomba^{1

6}, Luigi A Vaira⁷, Giacomo De Riu⁷, Leigh Sowerby^{1

8}, Claire Hopkins^#⁹, Sven Saussez^#^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ COVID-19 Task Force of the Young-Otolaryngologists of the International Federations of Oto-rhino-laryngological Societies (YO-IFOS), Marseille, France.
² Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, UMONS Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Mons, Belgium.
³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, CHU de Bruxelles, CHU Saint-Pierre, School of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Paris, France.
⁵ Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Aix Marseille University, APHM, IUSTI, La Conception University Hospital, Marseille, France.
⁶ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain.
⁷ Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
⁸ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁹ Department of Otolaryngology, King's College, London, United Kingdom.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 32678494
PMCID: PMC7404961
DOI: 10.1002/lary.28993

Clinical and Radiological Evaluations of COVID-19 Patients With Anosmia: Preliminary Report

Jerome R Lechien et al. Laryngoscope. 2020 Nov.

. 2020 Nov;130(11):2526-2531.

doi: 10.1002/lary.28993. Epub 2020 Aug 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ COVID-19 Task Force of the Young-Otolaryngologists of the International Federations of Oto-rhino-laryngological Societies (YO-IFOS), Marseille, France.
² Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, UMONS Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Mons, Belgium.
³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, CHU de Bruxelles, CHU Saint-Pierre, School of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Paris, France.
⁵ Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Aix Marseille University, APHM, IUSTI, La Conception University Hospital, Marseille, France.
⁶ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain.
⁷ Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
⁸ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁹ Department of Otolaryngology, King's College, London, United Kingdom.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 32678494
PMCID: PMC7404961
DOI: 10.1002/lary.28993

Abstract

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate clinical and radiological features of olfactory clefts of patients with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Study design: Prospective non controlled study.

Methods: Sixteen COVID-19 patients were recruited. The epidemiological and clinical data were extracted. Nasal complaints were assessed through the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test. Patients underwent psychophysical olfactory testing, olfactory cleft examination, and computed tomography (CT) scans.

Results: Sixteen anosmic patients were included. The mean Sniffin' Sticks score was 4.6 ± 1.7. The majority of patients had no endoscopical abnormality, with a mean olfactory cleft endoscopy score of 0.6 ± 0.9. The olfactory clefts were opacified in three patients on the CT scan. The mean radiological olfactory cleft score was 0.7 ± 0.8. There were no significant correlations between clinical, radiological, and psychophysical olfactory testing.

Conclusions: The olfactory cleft of anosmic COVID-19 patients is free regarding endoscopic examination and imaging. The anosmia etiology is not related to edema of the olfactory cleft.

Level of evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:2526-2531, 2020.

Keywords: COVID-19; anosmia; computed tomography scan; coronavirus; evaluation; imaging; olfaction; olfactory; smell; taste.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

**Fig 1**
Computed tomography (CT) scan findings of patients. Sinus CT scans of our clinical series. Each number corresponds to a patient.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Cited by

Sinus computed tomography findings in patients with COVID-19.
Sumi DV, Loureiro RM, Collin SM, Deps PD, Bezerra LL, Gomes RLE, Daniel MM. Sumi DV, et al. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2021 Mar 15;19:eAO6255. doi: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2021AO6255. eCollection 2021. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2021. PMID: 33729288 Free PMC article.
Olfactory Dysfunction in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Review.
Wei G, Gu J, Gu Z, Du C, Huang X, Xing H, Li L, Zhang A, Hu X, Huo J. Wei G, et al. Front Neurol. 2022 Jan 18;12:783249. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.783249. eCollection 2021. Front Neurol. 2022. PMID: 35115994 Free PMC article. Review.
Results from psychophysical tests of smell and taste during the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a review.
Trecca EMC, Cassano M, Longo F, Petrone P, Miani C, Hummel T, Gelardi M. Trecca EMC, et al. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2022 Apr;42(Suppl. 1):S20-S35. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-suppl.1-42-2022-03. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2022. PMID: 35763272 Free PMC article. Review.
Recovery rates and long-term olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection.
Dias M, Shaida Z, Haloob N, Hopkins C. Dias M, et al. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Mar 19;10(2):121-128. doi: 10.1002/wjo2.163. eCollection 2024 Jun. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024. PMID: 38855291 Free PMC article. Review.
Neuroradiological Basis of COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Tan CJ, Tan BKJ, Tan XY, Liu HT, Teo CB, See A, Xu S, Toh ST, Kheok SW, Charn TC, Teo NWY. Tan CJ, et al. Laryngoscope. 2022 Jun;132(6):1260-1274. doi: 10.1002/lary.30078. Epub 2022 Mar 22. Laryngoscope. 2022. PMID: 35318656 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

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 2020;277:2251–2261. - PMC - PubMed
1. Hopkins C, Surda P, Kumar N. Presentation of new onset anosmia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Rhinology 2020;58:295–298. - PubMed
1. Lechien JR, Chiesa‐Estomba CM, Place S, et al. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 1,420 European patients with mild‐to‐moderate coronavirus disease 2019 [published online April 30, 2020]. J Intern Med . 10.1111/joim.13089. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Eliezer M, Hautefort C, Hamel AL, et al. Sudden and complete olfactory loss function as a possible symptom of COVID‐19 [published online April 8, 2020]. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2020.0832. - PubMed
1. Netland J, Meyerholz DK, Moore S, Cassell M, Perlman S. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection causes neuronal death in the absence of encephalitis in mice transgenic for human ACE2. J Virol 2008;82:7264–7275. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Medical
- MedlinePlus Consumer Health Information
- MedlinePlus Health Information
Research Materials
- NCI CPTC Antibody Characterization Program

[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 2020;277:2251–2261. - PMC - PubMed

[2] 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 2020;277:2251–2261. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Hopkins C, Surda P, Kumar N. Presentation of new onset anosmia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Rhinology 2020;58:295–298. - PubMed

[4] Hopkins C, Surda P, Kumar N. Presentation of new onset anosmia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Rhinology 2020;58:295–298. - PubMed

[5] Lechien JR, Chiesa‐Estomba CM, Place S, et al. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 1,420 European patients with mild‐to‐moderate coronavirus disease 2019 [published online April 30, 2020]. J Intern Med . 10.1111/joim.13089. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Lechien JR, Chiesa‐Estomba CM, Place S, et al. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 1,420 European patients with mild‐to‐moderate coronavirus disease 2019 [published online April 30, 2020]. J Intern Med . 10.1111/joim.13089. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Eliezer M, Hautefort C, Hamel AL, et al. Sudden and complete olfactory loss function as a possible symptom of COVID‐19 [published online April 8, 2020]. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2020.0832. - PubMed

[8] Eliezer M, Hautefort C, Hamel AL, et al. Sudden and complete olfactory loss function as a possible symptom of COVID‐19 [published online April 8, 2020]. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2020.0832. - PubMed

[9] Netland J, Meyerholz DK, Moore S, Cassell M, Perlman S. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection causes neuronal death in the absence of encephalitis in mice transgenic for human ACE2. J Virol 2008;82:7264–7275. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Netland J, Meyerholz DK, Moore S, Cassell M, Perlman S. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection causes neuronal death in the absence of encephalitis in mice transgenic for human ACE2. J Virol 2008;82:7264–7275. - PMC - PubMed

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Clinical and Radiological Evaluations of COVID-19 Patients With Anosmia: Preliminary Report

Affiliations

Clinical and Radiological Evaluations of COVID-19 Patients With Anosmia: Preliminary Report

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical

Research Materials

Abstract

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Related information

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical

Research Materials