Background::Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID-19 patients suggests that self-reported measures are insufficient for capturing patients with chemosensory dysfunction.Objectives::The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of recent COVID-19 infection on chemosensory function and demonstrate the use of at-home objective smell and taste testing in an at-risk population of healthcare workers.Methods::Two hundred and fifty healthcare workers were screened for possible loss of smell and taste using online surveys. Self-administered smell and taste tests were mailed to respondents meeting criteria for elevated risk of infection, and one-month follow-up surveys were completed.Results::Among subjects with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, 73% reported symptoms of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction. Self-reported smell and taste loss were both strong predictors of COVID-19 positivity. Subjects with evidence of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection (<45 days) had significantly lower olfactory scores but equivalent gustatory scores compared to other subjects. There was a time-dependent increase in smell scores but not in taste scores among subjects with prior infection and chemosensory symptoms. The overall infection rate was 4.4%, with 2.5% reported by PCR swab.Conclusion::Healthcare workers with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection had reduced olfaction and normal gustation on self-administered objective testing compared to those without infection. Rates of infection and chemosensory symptoms in our cohort of healthcare workers reflect those of the general public.

Anosmia;Brief Smell Identification Test;Chemosensory dysfunction;COVID-19;Dysgeusia;Gustation;Healthcare workers;Objective testing;Olfaction;Screening;University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test

Cao Austin C.;Nimmo Zachary M.;Mirza Natasha;Cohen Noam A.;Brody Robert M.;Doty Richard L.

Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA;Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA;Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Administration Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA;Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

世界耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志（英文）

[1]Cao Austin C.;Nimmo Zachary M.;Mirza Natasha;Cohen Noam A.;Brody Robert M.;Doty Richard L.-.Objective screening for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective study in healthcare workers using self-administered testing)[J].世界耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志（英文）,2022(03):249-256

dysgeusia,mailed,gustation,Anosmia,Dysgeusia,Gustation,Olfaction

screening,olfactory,gustatory,dysfunction,during,pandemic,prospective,study,healthcare,workers,using,self,administered,testing,Background,Smell,taste,loss,highly,prevalent,symptoms,coronavirus,disease,although,few,studies,have,employed,objective,measures,quantify,these,especially,Reports,unrecognized,anosmia,patients,suggests,that,reported,insufficient,capturing,chemosensory,Objectives,purpose,this,was,impact,recent,infection,demonstrate,use,home,smell,risk,population,Methods,Two,hundred,fifty,were,screened,possible,online,surveys,Self,tests,respondents,meeting,criteria,elevated,one,month,follow,up,completed,Results,Among,subjects,prior,SARS,CoV,both,strong,predictors,positivity,Subjects,evidence,days,had,significantly,lower,scores,but,equivalent,compared,other,There,dependent,increase,not,among,overall,by,swab,Conclusion,Healthcare,reduced,olfaction,normal,those,without,Rates,our,cohort,reflect,general,public,Brief,Identification,Test,Chemosensory,Screening,University,Pennsylvania

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