Treatments for Olfactory Dysfunction in COVID-19: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Otorhinolaryngology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a significant symptom in COVID-19 patients.
• Prevalence and impact of OD vary across populations.
• Effective therapeutic solutions for COVID-19-related OD are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review current evidence on treatments for OD in COVID-19 patients.
• To identify potential therapeutic mechanisms and modalities for managing COVID-19-induced OD.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases.
• Data extracted from 37 selected articles, encompassing 3,560 patients.
• Analysis of pre- and post-intervention assessments, including standardized olfactory tests.

Main Results:

• Predominant olfactory disorders identified include hyposmia, anosmia, and parosmia.
• Potential therapeutic interventions identified are olfactory training (OT), ivermectin, palmitoylethanolamide, luteolin, and corticosteroids.
• Combination therapy with systemic and topical corticosteroids shows promise.

Conclusions:

• Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions show potential for treating COVID-19-related OD.
• Olfactory training (OT) warrants further investigation as a non-pharmacological approach.
• Continued research is crucial for improving quality of life for patients with persistent OD.