Andrews PJ, Pendolino AL, Ottaviano G, Scarpa B, Grant J, Gaudioso P, Bordin A, Marchese‐Ragona R, Leoni D, Cattelan A, Kaura A, Gane S, Hamilton NJ, Choi D, Andrews JA. Olfactory and taste dysfunction among mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19 positive health care workers: An international survey.
Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 2020;
5:1019-1028. [PMID:
33365393 PMCID:
PMC7752034 DOI:
10.1002/lio2.507]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To determine the prevalence of olfactory and taste dysfunction (OD; TD) among COVID-19 positive health care workers (HCWs), their associated risk factors and prognosis.
METHODS
Between May and June 2020, a longitudinal multicenter study was conducted on symptomatic COVID-19 PCR confirmed HCWs (COVID-19 positive) in London and Padua.
RESULTS
Hundred and fourteen COVID-19 positive HCWs were surveyed with a response rate of 70.6% over a median follow-up period of 52 days. UK prevalence of OD and TD was 73.1% and 69.2%, respectively. There was a male to female ratio of 1:3 with 81.6% being white, 43.7% being nurses/health care assistants (HCAs), and 39.3% being doctors. In addition, 53.2% of them worked on COVID-19 wards. Complete recovery was reported in 31.8% for OD and 47.1% for TD with a 52 days follow-up. The job role of doctors and nurses negatively influenced smell (P = .04 and P = .02) and taste recovery (P = .02 and P = .01). Ethnicity (being white) showed to positively influence only taste recovery (P = .04). Sex (being female) negatively influenced OD and TD recovery only in Paduan HCWs (P = .02 and P = .011, respectively). Working on a COVID-19 ward did not influence prognosis.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of OD and TD was considerably higher in HCWs. The prognosis for OD and TD recovery was worse for nurses/HCAs and doctors but working on a COVID-19 ward did not influence prognosis. Sixty-eight percent of surveyed HCWs at 52 days continued to experience OD or TD requiring additional future medical management capacity.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
4.
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