Smell has not returned in a quarter of Covid patients after 2 months

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Nearly a quarter of patients with loss of smell from coronavirus did not see it return two months later, new study finds

  • Researchers looked at data from 2,581 patients from 18 European hospitals
  • Reveals that 24.1% did not regain their smell and taste within 60 days of infection
  • But the senses returned to 95% of patients within six months of infection

By Joe Pinkstone For Mailonline

Posted: | Update:

Loss of senses, smell and taste are common symptoms of Covid-19 and new data shows it affects 86% of people with mild cases.

However, only 4.5% of people with moderate cases and 6.9% of severe to critical cases report having these symptoms.

The study from the University of Paris Saclay also reveals that for a quarter of people (24.1%), their smell and taste do not return within 60 days of infection.

But the vast majority (95%) of all patients regain their sense of smell six months after infection.

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The study from the University of Paris Saclay reveals that for nearly a quarter of people (24.1%), their smell and taste did not return within 60 days of infection

The study from the University of Paris Saclay reveals that for nearly a quarter of people (24.1%), their smell and taste did not return within 60 days of infection

The figures vary depending on whether the symptom is reported by the patient himself or by the doctor.

Objective clinical evaluations have revealed loss of smell in 54.7% of mild cases of COVID-19 and 36.6% of moderate to critical cases of COVID-19.

And two months later, nearly a quarter of patients still suffered from a lack of smell, also known as anosmia.

The researchers looked at anonymous data from more than 2,000 people in 18 different European hospitals.

Objective clinical evaluations have revealed loss of smell in 54.7% of mild cases of COVID-19 and 36.6% of moderate to critical cases of COVID-19. Researchers have found olfactory dysfunction in more than half of mild viral infections (stock)

Objective clinical evaluations have revealed loss of smell in 54.7% of mild cases of COVID-19 and 36.6% of moderate to critical cases of COVID-19. Researchers have found olfactory dysfunction in more than half of mild viral infections (stock)

What is anosmia?

Anosmia is the medical name for a condition in which a person suffers from a total or partial loss of their sense of smell and / or taste.

The most common single cause of illness – temporary or permanent – is diseases that affect the nose or sinuses, such as polyps that develop in the airways, broken bones or cartilage, or hay fever. tumors.

It’s different from hyposmia, which is a decrease in sensitivity to some or all of the smells.

About 3.5 million people in the UK are affected by the disease, as well as nearly 10 million in the US. It is surprisingly common and affects between three and five percent of people.

Head trauma and diseases of the nervous system like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease can also contribute to the disease by damaging the nerves in the nose that are responsible for detecting odors.

Professor Jerome Lechien, lead author of the study at Université Paris Saclay, said: “ Olfactory dysfunction is more common in mild forms of COVID-19 than in moderate to critical forms, and 95% of patients recover their sense of smell six months after infection.

The average duration of this patient-reported “ olfactory dysfunction ” was 21.6 days, according to the researchers.

Younger patients may have a higher rate of anosmia than older people, scientists said.

Professor Lechien added: “During the two-month follow-up, 75-85% of patients recovered olfaction based on subjective and objective olfactory assessments.

“The main hypothesis underlying the higher prevalence of anosmia in mild COVID-19 would be differences in the immune response to infection in mild and moderate to critical patients.

“Future studies are needed to determine the long-term cure rate of patients with COVID-19.

Study subjects were tested using 16 scent pens and analyzed 30 and 60 days, then six months after initial infection.

Mild patients were defined as those without signs of viral pneumonia or hypoxia – a lack of oxygen – and generally recovered at home, while severe cases involved being taken to hospital.

The study was published today in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Younger COVID-19 patients are MORE likely to lose their sense of smell and taste than older people

Younger people with COVID-19 are more likely to lose their sense of smell and taste than older patients, according to a new study.

Irish researchers examined 46 infected patients who were asked to assess changes in their smell, known as anosmia, and taste, known as ageusia.

About half of the participants experienced smell and taste dysfunction, which is a known symptom of infectious disease.

But while the elderly are generally more vulnerable to the other effects of COVID-19, younger patients were more likely to suffer from anosmia and ageusia, they found.

It is possible that a loss of smell and taste in young patients may develop instead of more severe symptoms such as cough and fever.

Despite this, people should self-isolate if they lose their sense of smell or taste, as this is an officially recognized symptom of the disease.



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