Long-standing gustatory and olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a prospective study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• COVID-19 frequently causes gustatory dysfunction (GD) and olfactory dysfunction (OD).
• Understanding the recovery patterns and associated factors is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the recovery timeline of GD and OD in COVID-19 patients.
• To identify variables linked to early or delayed recovery of chemosensory functions.

Main Methods:

• A 18-month follow-up study using telephone surveys.
• 132 COVID-19 patients assessed their olfactory and gustatory function at regular intervals.

Main Results:

• Over 80% of patients recovered GD and OD within 3 months.
• At 18 months, 93% recovered GD and 87% recovered OD, with 7-13% still experiencing symptoms.
• Severe initial GD/OD and early improvement within 7 days were associated with late and early recovery, respectively.

Conclusions:

• High rates of olfactory and gustatory function recovery are observed within 3 months post-COVID-19.
• Initial symptom severity negatively impacts recovery, while early functional improvement predicts faster resolution.