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. 2021 Jun;73(3):781-785.
doi: 10.1007/s43440-021-00235-1. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Evaluation of effects of chronic nasal steroid use on rhinological symptoms of COVID-19 with SNOT-22 questionnaire

Affiliations

Evaluation of effects of chronic nasal steroid use on rhinological symptoms of COVID-19 with SNOT-22 questionnaire

Akif İşlek et al. Pharmacol Rep. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Background: The benefits of corticosteroids for the treatment of COVID-19 infection are documented in the literature. The goal of the study is to compare the severity of rhinological symptoms of COVID-19 between patients with nasal steroid use (NSU) and the control group (CG) using the sino-nasal outcome test (SNOT-22) questionnaire.

Methods: A face-to-face survey was conducted at a second referral state hospital between. Patients with a complete recovery from COVID-19 were included in NSU and CG groups. Two subscales of the SNOT-22 were filled by the patients. The frequency and duration of smell and taste loss and SNOT-22 scores were compared between the two groups.

Results: Forty-seven patients were included in the study. Thirty-one patients were in CG and 16 patients in the NSU group. Twenty-four (51.1%) patients were females and 23 (48.9%) were males. The mean age was 41.4 ± 8.6 years. Olfactory dysfunction was detected in 12 (75%) patients in the NSU group, and 31 (93.3%) patients in the control group (CG). Gustatory dysfunction was seen in 10 (62.5%) patients in the NSU group and 24 (77.4%) patients NSU group. (p = 0.071, 0.279, respectively). The duration of the olfactory (6.6 ± 2.5 days) and gustatory dysfunction (6.1 ± 2.6 days) and the mean SNOT-22 total score (11.9 ± 1.6) was significantly lower in the NSU group (p < 0.001, CI 11.1-5.1, CI 9.9-4.6, CI 9.3-5.9, respectively).

Conclusions: Although nasal steroid use does not prevent olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients, it may reduce the severity and duration of these symptoms.

Keywords: COVID-19; Gustatory dysfunction; Nasal steroids; SNOT-22; allergic rhinitis; olfactory dysfunction.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Average and total (TS) SNOT-22 scores in the nasal steroid use (NSU) and control group (CG)

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