Long-Term Persistence of Olfactory and Gustatory Disorders in COVID-19 Patients

Smell and taste disorders are frequent symptoms during acute COVID-19 and may persist long after the resolution of the initial phase. This study aims to estimate the proportion and risk factors for smell and/or taste disorders at the onset of symptoms and their persistence after more than 6 months of follow-up in COVID-19 patients. We analyzed a prospective cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to our institute in Marseille, France in early 2020. After being discharged from the hospital, patients with smell and/or taste disorders were contacted for a telephone interview. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors for smell and/or taste disorders. A total of 3,737 patients were included, of whom 1,676 reported smell and/or taste disorders at the onset of symptoms. Taste and/or smell disorders were independently associated with being younger and female, a lower likelihood of suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, a longer delay between the onset of symptoms and consultation, and non-severe forms of COVID-19 at admission. Of the 605 patients with smell and/or taste disorders who were followed-up, 154 (25.5%) reported the persistence of symptoms for more than 6 months. At the time of follow-up, being female, having a chronic respiratory disease and using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) were factors independently associated with the persistence of smell and/or taste disorders. In conclusion, the long-term persistence of olfactory and gustative disorders is frequent among COVID-19 patients, notably affecting female patients and patients who suffered from chronic respiratory diseases before infection. The role of ACEis needs to be further evaluated in larger numbers of patients.

Automated summary

Smell and taste disorders are common among COVID-19 patients at the onset of symptoms and can persist for more than 6 months. Factors such as younger age, female gender, chronic respiratory diseases, and the use of ACE inhibitors are associated with the persistence of these symptoms.