Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in the Treatment of Long COVID Olfactory Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Background: Long COVID has brought numerous challenges to healthcare, with olfactory dysfunction (OD) being a particularly distressing outcome for many patients. The persistent loss of smell significantly diminishes the affected individual's quality of life. Recent attention has been drawn to the potential of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy as a treatment for OD. This comprehensive review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP therapy in ameliorating OD, especially when associated with long-term COVID-19. Methods: We executed a comprehensive search of the literature, encompassing clinical trials and observational studies that utilized PRP in treating OD limited to COVID-19. We retrieved and comprehensively discussed data such as design, participant demographics, and reported outcomes, focusing on the efficacy and safety of PRP therapy for OD in COVID-19 patients. Results: Our comprehensive analysis interestingly found promising perspectives for PRP in OD following COVID-19 infection. The collective data indicate that PRP therapy contributed to a significant improvement in olfactory function after COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: The evidence amassed suggests that PRP is a promising and safe therapeutic option for OD, including cases attributable to Long COVID-19. The observed uniform enhancement of olfactory function in patients receiving PRP highlights the necessity for well-designed, controlled trials. Such studies would help to refine treatment protocols and more definitively ascertain the efficacy of PRP in a broader, more varied patient cohort.

Keywords: Long COVID; anosmia; olfactory dysfunction; platelet-rich plasma; smell loss.

Figure 1

PRISMA flow diagram describing the literature research protocol. * PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane.

Figure 2

PRP protocol for extraction and injection. Variations in platelet-rich plasma preparation and administration are detailed for each specific step [54,55,56,57,58,59].

Figure 3

Forest plot describing pooled TDI outcomes after PRP injection. Abbreviations: TDI, Threshold, Discrimination, Identification; PRP, platelet-rich plasma. Green squares represent each mean difference of study described while rombus the overal mean differences of all the studies included.