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Incidence of Anosmia among Covid 19 patients in India

Prem Aanand1, Sumeet Angral1, Saurabh Varshney1,2

  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head-Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, India.

Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery : Official Publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India
|June 8, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study found that the incidence of anosmia (loss of smell) in Indian COVID-19 patients ranged from 9.2% to 82%, averaging 30.19%. Objective testing significantly increased reported olfactory dysfunction rates.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Otolaryngology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, presents diverse clinical symptoms, including olfactory dysfunction.
  • Anosmia has been an overlooked symptom in the Indian population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Understanding the incidence of anosmia in India is crucial for comprehensive disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of anosmia in COVID-19 patients within India.
  • To analyze the reported rates of olfactory dysfunction in the Indian context.
  • To compare objective versus subjective assessment of anosmia in COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

  • A literature search was conducted from January 2020 to March 2021.
  • Databases searched included PubMed and Google Scholar using keywords like "ANOSMIA", "COVID-19", and "SARS-CoV-2".
  • Sixteen eligible articles were analyzed to determine anosmia incidence rates.

Main Results:

  • The incidence of anosmia in Indian COVID-19 patients varied widely, from 9.2% to 82%.
  • The average incidence rate of anosmia was calculated to be 30.19%.
  • Objective analysis revealed a cumulative incidence of 52.2% for anosmia, compared to 16.4% for subjective analysis.

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of anosmia in India may be lower than in European countries, potentially due to ethnic factors or underreporting.
  • Objective olfactory testing methods, such as the UPIST and SNIFFING STICK test, are recommended for accurate assessment.
  • There is a need for a standardized gold-standard test for olfaction, similar to those for vision and hearing.

Keywords:
AnosmiaCOVID-19Olfaction disordersSARS-CoV-2

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