Luca Giovanni Locatello1, Chiara Bruno2, Giandomenico Maggiore2, Maria Cilona2, Pietro Orlando2, Giuseppe Fancello2, Matteo Piccica3, Iacopo Vellere3, Filippo Lagi3, Michele Trotta3, Oreste Gallo4. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: locatello.lucagiovanni@gmail.com. 2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. 3. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. 4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OD/GD) are now recognized as typical symptoms of COVID-19 infection. However, their pathogenesis remains unclear and no clear prognostic factors have been identified. We have analyzed a cohort of mild/moderate hospitalized patients to identify possible clinical or immunological predictors of recovery from OD/GD. METHODS: Clinical and biological parameters were reviewed along with associated comorbidities. Chemosensory Complaint Score was administered on admission and 30 days after the first negative swab. Unpaired Wilcoxon and chi-squared tests were used to compare the variables in the patients who recovered versus those who did not. RESULTS: From a cohort of 119 hospitalized patients, 43 (36%) reported OD/GD on admission. 60.6% had a full recovery from OD and 69.2% from GD. Only the concentration of IL-10 on admission emerged as significantly associated with recovery of taste (p = 0.041) while allergic respiratory disease was more prevalent in the group who did not recover from OD (p = 0.049) and GD (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that COVID-19 associated OD/GD is an inflammatory-mediated condition and that clinical and immunological parameters could predict the evolution of these symptoms.
OBJECTIVES: Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (OD/GD) are now recognized as typical symptoms of COVID-19infection. However, their pathogenesis remains unclear and no clear prognostic factors have been identified. We have analyzed a cohort of mild/moderate hospitalized patients to identify possible clinical or immunological predictors of recovery from OD/GD. METHODS: Clinical and biological parameters were reviewed along with associated comorbidities. Chemosensory Complaint Score was administered on admission and 30 days after the first negative swab. Unpaired Wilcoxon and chi-squared tests were used to compare the variables in the patients who recovered versus those who did not. RESULTS: From a cohort of 119 hospitalized patients, 43 (36%) reported OD/GD on admission. 60.6% had a full recovery from OD and 69.2% from GD. Only the concentration of IL-10 on admission emerged as significantly associated with recovery of taste (p = 0.041) while allergic respiratory disease was more prevalent in the group who did not recover from OD (p = 0.049) and GD (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that COVID-19 associated OD/GD is an inflammatory-mediated condition and that clinical and immunological parameters could predict the evolution of these symptoms.