Distinct smell and taste disorder phenotype of post-acute COVID-19 sequelae

© 2023. The Author(s)..

PURPOSE: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) commonly accompanies coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We investigated the kinetics of OD resolution following SARS-CoV-2 infection (wild-type and alpha variant) and its impact on quality of life, physical and mental health.

METHODS: OD prevalence was assessed in an ambulatory COVID-19 survey (n = 906, ≥ 90 days follow-up) and an observational cohort of ambulatory and hospitalized individuals (n = 108, 360 days follow-up). Co-occurrence of OD with other symptoms and effects on quality of life, physical and mental health were analyzed by multi-dimensional scaling, association rule mining and semi-supervised clustering.

RESULTS: Both in the ambulatory COVID-19 survey study (72%) and the observational ambulatory and hospitalized cohort (41%) self-reported OD was frequent during acute COVID-19. Recovery from self-reported OD was slow (survey: median 28 days, observational cohort: 90 days). By clustering of the survey data, we identified a predominantly young, female, comorbidity-free group of convalescents with persistent OD and taste disorders (median recovery: 90 days) but low frequency of post-acute fatigue, respiratory or neurocognitive symptoms. This smell and taste disorder cluster was characterized by a high rating of physical performance, mental health, and quality of life as compared with convalescents affected by prolonged fatigue or neurocognitive complaints.

CONCLUSION: Our results underline the heterogeneity of post-acute COVID-19 sequelae calling for tailored management strategies. The persistent smell and taste disorder phenotype is characterized by good clinical, physical, and mental recovery and may pose a minor challenge for public health.

STUDY REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04661462 (survey study), NCT04416100 (observational cohort).

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:280

Enthalten in:

European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - 280(2023), 11 vom: 04. Nov., Seite 5115-5128

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Rass, Verena [VerfasserIn]
Tymoszuk, Piotr [VerfasserIn]
Sahanic, Sabina [VerfasserIn]
Heim, Beatrice [VerfasserIn]
Ausserhofer, Dietmar [VerfasserIn]
Lindner, Anna [VerfasserIn]
Kofler, Mario [VerfasserIn]
Mahlknecht, Philipp [VerfasserIn]
Boehm, Anna [VerfasserIn]
Hüfner, Katharina [VerfasserIn]
Pizzini, Alex [VerfasserIn]
Sonnweber, Thomas [VerfasserIn]
Kurz, Katharina [VerfasserIn]
Pfeifer, Bernhard [VerfasserIn]
Kiechl, Stefan [VerfasserIn]
Peball, Marina [VerfasserIn]
Kindl, Philipp [VerfasserIn]
Putnina, Lauma [VerfasserIn]
Fava, Elena [VerfasserIn]
Djamshidian, Atbin [VerfasserIn]
Huber, Andreas [VerfasserIn]
Wiedermann, Christian J [VerfasserIn]
Sperner-Unterweger, Barbara [VerfasserIn]
Wöll, Ewald [VerfasserIn]
Beer, Ronny [VerfasserIn]
Schiefecker, Alois Josef [VerfasserIn]
Bellmann-Weiler, Rosa [VerfasserIn]
Bachler, Herbert [VerfasserIn]
Tancevski, Ivan [VerfasserIn]
Pfausler, Bettina [VerfasserIn]
Piccoliori, Giuliano [VerfasserIn]
Seppi, Klaus [VerfasserIn]
Weiss, Günter [VerfasserIn]
Löffler-Ragg, Judith [VerfasserIn]
Helbok, Raimund [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Journal Article
Long COVID
Mental health
Observational Study
Olfactory dysfunction
Post-COVID-19 condition
Quality of life
Smell and taste disorder

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 11.10.2023

Date Revised 29.12.2023

published: Print-Electronic

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04661462, NCT04416100

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1007/s00405-023-08163-x

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM361678371