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Boscolo-Rizzo P, Hummel T, Invitto S, Spinato G, Tomasoni M, Emanuelli E, Tofanelli M, Cavicchia A, Grill V, Vaira LA, Lechien JR, Borsetto D, Polesel J, Dibattista M, Menini A, Hopkins C, Tirelli G. Psychophysical assessment of olfactory and gustatory function in post-mild COVID-19 patients: A matched case-control study with 2-year follow-up. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 2023; 13:1864-1875. [PMID: 36852674 DOI: 10.1002/alr.23148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to psychophysically evaluate the prevalence of smell and taste dysfunction 2 years after mildly symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection compared to that observed at 1-year follow-up and while considering the background of chemosensory dysfunction in the no-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) population. METHOD This is a prospective case-control study on 93 patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive SARS-CoV-2 infection and 93 matched controls. Self-reported olfactory and gustatory dysfunction was assessed by 22-item Sino-Nasal-Outcome Test (SNOT-22), item "Sense of smell or taste." Psychophysical orthonasal and retronasal olfactory function and gustatory performance were estimated using the extended Sniffin' Sticks test battery, 20 powdered tasteless aromas, and taste strips test, respectively. Nasal trigeminal sensitivity was assessed by sniffing a 70% solution of acetic acid. RESULTS The two psychophysical assessments of chemosensory function took place after a median of 409 days (range, 366-461 days) and 765 days (range, 739-800 days) from the first SARS-CoV-2-positive swab, respectively. At 2-year follow-up, cases exhibited a decrease in the prevalence of olfactory (27.9% vs. 42.0%; absolute difference, -14.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -21.8% to -2.6%; p = 0.016) and gustatory dysfunction (14.0% vs. 25.8%; absolute difference, -11.8%; 95% CI, -24.2% to 0.6%; p = 0.098). Subjects with prior COVID-19 were more likely than controls to have an olfactory dysfunction (27.9% vs. 10.8 %; absolute difference, 17.2%; 95% CI, 5.2% to 28.8%) but not gustatory dysfunction (14.0% vs. 9.7%; absolute difference, 4.3%; 95% CI, -5.8% to 14.4% p = 0.496) still 2 years after the infection. Overall, 3.2% of cases were still anosmic 2 years after the infection. CONCLUSIONS Although a proportion of subjects recovered from long-lasting smell/taste dysfunction more than 1 year after COVID-19, cases still exhibited a significant excess of olfactory dysfunction 2 years after SARS-CoV-2 infection when compared to matched controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sara Invitto
- INSPIRE LAB-Laboratory of Cognitive and Psychophysiological Olfactory Processes, DiSTeBA, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giacomo Spinato
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Treviso, Italy
- Unit of Otolaryngology, Azienda Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria 2-Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Michele Tomasoni
- Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Enzo Emanuelli
- Unit of Otolaryngology, Azienda Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria 2-Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Margherita Tofanelli
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Angelo Cavicchia
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Vittorio Grill
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Luigi Angelo Vaira
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, Maxillofacial Surgery Operative Unit, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Jerome R Lechien
- Department of Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Mons School of Medicine, UMONS. Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Mons, Belgium
| | - Daniele Borsetto
- Department of ENT, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jerry Polesel
- Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Aviano, Italy
| | - Michele Dibattista
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari A. Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Menini
- Neurobiology Group, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Claire Hopkins
- Ear, Nose and Throat Department, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Giancarlo Tirelli
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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Hernandez AK, Juratli L, Haehner A, Hsieh JW, Landis BN, Hummel T. Assessment of olfactory fluctuations in a clinical context. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2022; 279:5685-5690. [PMID: 35661914 PMCID: PMC9649505 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-022-07462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the study was to investigate whether olfactory fluctuations (OF) are pronounced in patients with sinonasal olfactory dysfunction (OD). METHODS The retrospective investigation included patients aged 18 years or older, who consulted a tertiary referral center for olfactory loss. Patients with normal smell function were excluded. Patients answered a structured questionnaire about their olfactory symptoms, with specific questions related to the presence of OF and its average frequency, amplitude, duration, time since most recent OF, and associated symptoms of self-reported OF. Patients also underwent clinical evaluation including a structured medical history and physical examination including nasal endoscopy. In addition, we assessed orthonasal olfactory function using Sniffin' Sticks, and gustatory function using "taste sprays". RESULTS Participants included 131 men and 205 women (n = 336), aged 18 to 86 years (mean 50, SD 16). Patient-reported fluctuations occurred most frequently in sinonasal (38%), idiopathic (29%), and postviral (29%) OD. Amplitude of OF was highest in postviral OD (p = 0.009). Average frequency, duration, and the time since the most recent fluctuation were not significantly different between groups (all p's > 0.42). Odor discrimination (p = 0.002) and identification (p = 0.017) scores were higher among those individuals with OF. CONCLUSION Amplitude of OF may help distinguish postviral from other causes of OD, especially in patients presenting with equivocal symptoms of sinonasal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kristina Hernandez
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 5, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Lena Juratli
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 5, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany ,University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Antje Haehner
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 5, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Julien W. Hsieh
- Rhinology-Olfactology Unit, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Basile N. Landis
- Rhinology-Olfactology Unit, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 5, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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Liu DT, Phillips KM, Speth MM, Besser G, Mueller CA, Sedaghat AR. Exploring possibilities for shortening the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) using item response theory. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 2021; 12:191-199. [PMID: 34448367 DOI: 10.1002/alr.22878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Even with a high-quality instrument, such as the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22), patients can be overwhelmed by repeated completion of questionnaires, leading to nonadherence and reduced data quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the SNOT-22 could be made more concise without losing the valuable information that it provides. METHODS A modern psychometric approach, item response theory (IRT), was used on a sample of 800 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The SNOT-22 was refined based on: (1) the item information criteria, retaining only items with above-average information; and (2) the total test information, retaining only the most discriminating items to cover at least 30% of the information within each subdomain. The preliminary validity and reliability of these refined scales were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS Using an IRT approach, we find that it may be possible to shorten the SNOT-22 to an 11-item and six-item version based on psychometric properties. Item information functions of the shortened 11-item and six-item scales demonstrate that both versions accurately covered the CRS symptom-severity continuum. Preliminary reliability and validity analysis showed that both refined scales had good to excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.80) and were highly associated with the original full-length scale (r ≥ 0.90). CONCLUSION IRT provides data-driven opportunities for the continuous development and refinement of the SNOT-22. While patient and provider input must be accounted for too, our results show that future revisions of the SNOT-22 could include significantly fewer items.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katie M Phillips
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marlene M Speth
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Gerold Besser
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian A Mueller
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ahmad R Sedaghat
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Abstract
Approximately 5% of the general population is affected by functional anosmia with approximately additional 15% exhibiting decreased olfactory function. Many of these individuals ask for help. Because the subjective rating of olfactory function is biased, assessment of olfactory function is important. Olfactory measurements are needed for patient counseling and the tracking of changes in the sense of smell over time. The present review provides an overview of frequently used psychophysical tests for olfactory function, discusses differences between threshold and suprathreshold aspects of olfactory function, and gives examples on how to apply psychophysical tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hummel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell & Taste Clinic, "Technische Universität Dresden", Dresden, Germany
| | - Dino Podlesek
- Department of Neurosurgery, "Technische Universität Dresden", Dresden, Germany
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