LAUSR

BACKGROUND/AIM This study aims evaluation of olfactory and gustatory function of COVID-19 patients and possible risk factors for olfactory and gustatory disfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included adult patients who diagnosed with COVID-19 in XXXX University Hospital between April 2020 and June 2020. Volunteered patients participated to a survey in which olfactory and gustatory function and various clinical information were questioned. Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 was also administrated to all patients. RESULTS A hundred and seventy-one patients participated in this study. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions rates were 10.5% (n:18) and 10.5% (n:18) respectively. Patients without any symptom other than smell and taste dysfunction were clustered as group 1 and patients who are clinically symptomatic were clustered as group 2. Olfactory dysfunction occurred in 8% of Group 1 and 17.4% of group 2 (p=0.072). Gustatory dysfunction rate of smokers was 19.7% and significantly higher than gustatory dysfunction rate of non-smokers (5.5%) (p=0.007). Sex did not show significant effect on rate of olfactory disfunction. 25 patients participated in psychophysical olfactory function test. No participant reported olfactory disfunction at the time of test. 64% of the participants (n:16) were normosmic and 36% of the participants (n:9) were hyposmic according to Sniffin? Stick test. CONCLUSION Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions are more common in patients who are clinically symptomatic than those diagnosed during filiation. Objective tests may show that frequency of olfactory dysfunction is greater than frequency of self-reported olfactory disfunction.