Treatment of Olfactory Disorders After SARS - CoViD 2 Virus Infection.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neurology

Background:

• Persistent post-infectious smell disorders, particularly after SARS-CoV-2 infection, present a significant challenge.
• The efficacy of nasal corticosteroids for these conditions is less established than olfactory training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate treatment strategies for persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19.
• To compare olfactory training alone versus olfactory training combined with nasal corticosteroids.

Main Methods:

• A randomized study included 20 patients with post-COVID hyposmia.
• Patients received either olfactory training alone or combined with nasal corticosteroids.
• Olfactory function was assessed using the TDI test and otorhinolaryngological examination over 3 months.

Main Results:

• Both treatment groups showed significant overall improvement in olfactory ability.
• Combination therapy led to a steady TDI score increase, while olfactory training alone had an initially steeper but non-significant rise.
• A moderate effect size suggested adjunctive therapy ultimately benefits smell recovery.

Conclusions:

• Early and consistent olfactory training is reinforced for COVID-19-related smell dysfunction.
• Adjunctive topical treatment (nasal corticosteroids) warrants consideration for continuous smell improvement.
• Future research should focus on larger cohorts and objective olfactometric methods.