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Therapeutic effects of olfactory training and systemic vitamin A in patients with COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction: a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

  • 0New Hearing Technologies Research Center, Clinical Sciences Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology +

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July 7, 2024

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July 7, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Olfactory training effectively improved smell loss in COVID-19 patients. Adding vitamin A did not enhance these results, but olfactory training alone showed significant smell recovery over 12 months.

Area Of Science

  • Otolaryngology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurology

Background

  • COVID-19 presents diverse symptoms, including olfactory dysfunction.
  • Smell loss (anosmia) is a common and distressing symptom of COVID-19.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To assess the efficacy of olfactory training for COVID-19-related smell dysfunction.
  • To investigate the added benefit of oral vitamin A combined with olfactory training.

Main Methods

  • A randomized clinical trial involving 90 patients with COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction.
  • Three groups: olfactory training alone, olfactory training with vitamin A, and nasal irrigation (control).
  • Standardized smell tests and anosmia reporting tools were used pre- and post-intervention (3 months) and at 12-month follow-up.

Main Results

  • Significant improvements in olfactory function were observed in both olfactory training groups (A and B) compared to the control group (C).
  • Group A (olfactory training) showed 76.9% improvement; Group B (olfactory training + vitamin A) showed 86.7% improvement.
  • The addition of vitamin A did not yield statistically superior results compared to olfactory training alone.

Conclusions

  • Three months of olfactory training is a viable and effective treatment for COVID-19-induced smell dysfunction.
  • Oral vitamin A supplementation does not appear to enhance the benefits of olfactory training for olfactory recovery.

Keywords:

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