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Persistent Post-COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction and Its Association with Autonomic Nervous System Function: A
Lojine Ayoub1,2, Abeer F Almarzouki2, Rajaa Al-Raddadi3
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh Branch, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia.
Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 24, 2025
Summary
Post-COVID-19 patients frequently experience smell and taste dysfunction, potentially linked to autonomic issues. Further research is needed to understand persistent olfactory and autonomic problems after infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Otolaryngology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to reported persistent smell and taste dysfunction in many patients.
- Olfactory and gustatory deficits are common sequelae of COVID-19, impacting quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in individuals with a history of COVID-19.
- To investigate the association between post-COVID-19 olfactory/gustatory dysfunction, autonomic dysfunction, and disability.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study compared 82 COVID-19 patients with 82 controls.
- Olfactory dysfunction (including parosmia) and taste problems were assessed via self-report and the Quick Smell Identification Test (QSIT).
- Autonomic function was evaluated using the Composite Autonomic Symptom Scale-31 (COMPASS-31).
Main Results:
- The post-COVID-19 group showed significantly higher rates of smell (26.8%) and taste (14.6%) dysfunction compared to controls.
- Post-COVID-19 patients reported substantially more smell (36.6x) and taste (8.22x) issues.
- Secretomotor dysfunction correlated significantly with abnormal QSIT and parosmia scores, suggesting a link between autonomic and olfactory dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- A potential association exists between autonomic dysfunction and persistent olfactory deficits following COVID-19.
- Further research is required to clarify the mechanisms behind these persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms.
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