The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology (Jul 2021)

Radio-laboratory findings in COVID-19 anosmia patients: a single-center experience

  • Tareq Muhammad Algarf,
  • Mahmoud Atef Youssef,
  • Mostafa Elshazly,
  • Mohamed Said Ismail,
  • Mohamed Kamal Hasswa,
  • Mohamed Shaaban Mousa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43163-021-00133-6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 37, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

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Abstract Background There is solid evidence that olfactory dysfunction (OD) can present in COVID-19 patients. Anosmia can be the only presentation or can be accompanied by other symptoms of COVID-19. Multiple cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that the incidence rate of olfactory dysfunction is high in COVID-19 patients with good prognosis. The aim of our study is to investigate the presence of OD with the radiologic and laboratory findings among COVID-19 positive patients. Results There was statistical significance in clinical severity between anosmia and non-anosmia group (P value 0.000) denoting that anosmia sign mostly occur in mild COVID. Also, there was significance in D dimer between two groups (P value 0.044) denoting that D dimer could be a sign of clinical severity and it is usually not elevated in anosmia. All anosmia group had normal CT chest denoting that it is a mild form of COVID-19. Conclusions Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is an imminent sign of COVID-19 patient, which can be presented as a sole symptom or with other symptoms. As anosmia could be the sole clinical presentation of COVID-19 patients without any other significant signs and so otolaryngologists should be aware of this presentation in COVID-19 diagnosis.

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