Evaluation of children and adults with post-COVID-19 persistent smell, taste and trigeminal chemosensory disorders: A hospital based study

Table 1 Results of the questionnaire of olfactory disorders-negative statements

	sQOD-NS items	Patients	Adults	Children	P value
1	Changes in my sense of smell isolate me socially	0.0–3.0 (2.84 ± 0.57)	3	0.0–3.0 (2.17 ± 1.10)	0.0001
2	The problems with my sense of smell have a negative impact on my daily social activities	0.0–3.0 (2.84 ± 0.57)	3	0.0–3.0 (2.17 ± 1.10)	0.0001
3	The problems with my sense of smell make me more irritable	0.0–3.0 (1.19 ± 1.03)	0.0–3.0 (1.67 ± 0.99)	0.0–3.0 (1.31 ± 1.180)	0.497
4	Because of the problems with my sense of smell, I eat out less	0.0–3.0 (1.34 ± 1.06)	0.0–3.0 (1.18 ± 1.01)	1.0–3.0 (2.09 ± 0.85)	0.0001
5	Because of the problems with my sense of smell, I eat less than before (loss of appetite)	0.0–3.0 (1.66 ± 1.28)	0.0–3.0 (2.00 ± 1.03)	0.0–3.0 (2.00 ± 1.03)	0.0001
6	Because of the problems with my sense of smell, I have to make more effort to relax	0.0–3.0 (1.49 ± 1.11)	0.0–3.0 (1.35 ± 1.12)	0.0–3.0 (1.31 ± 1.180)	0.065
7	I’m afraid I’ll never be able to get used to the problems with my sense of smell	0	0	0	-
	Total score of sQOD-NS	2.0–18.0 (11.41 ± 3.66)	6.0–18.8 (11.49 ± 3.37)	2.0–18.0 (11.06 ± 4.74)	0.515

sQOD-NS: Questionnaire of olfactory disorders-negative statements.

Table 2 Comparative results of adults versus children with smell and taste disorders, n (%)

Characteristics	Adults (n = 150)	Child (n = 35)	P value
Age	20–50 (31.41 ± 8.63)	12–19 (15.66 ± 1.63)	-
Gender			0.952
Male	72 (48)	17 (48.6)
Female	78 (52)	18 (51.4)
Residence			0.009
Urban	46 (30.7)	19 (54.3)
Rural	104 (69.3)	16 (45.7)
Socio-economic status			0.589
Low	79 (52.7)	17 (48.6)
Middle	47 (31.3)	11 (31.4)
High	24 (16)	7 (20)
Classification of patients			0.077
Mild COVID-19 infection	123 (82)	30 (85.7)
- Minimal systemic manifestations	72 (58.54)	18 (51.43)
- Isolated smell and taste loss	51 (41.46)	12 (34.29)
Moderate COVID-19 infection	27 (18)	5 (14.3)
Patterns of smell loss at onset (with or without taste loss)			0.593
Concurrent association with systemic and/or ENT viral manifestations at onset	99 (66)	23 (65.7)
Isolated loss	51 (34)	12 (34.3)
Systemic manifestations	82 (54.67)	18 (51.43)	0.897
Fever	82 (100)	18 (100)
Cough	42 (51.22)	12 (66.67)
Myalgia	49 (59.76)	10 (55.56)
Fatigue	45 (54.88)	10 (55.56)
Diarrhea	34 (41.46)	10 (55.56)
Anorexia	31 (37.80)	18 (100)
ENT manifestations	56 (53.33)	14 (40)	0.989
Nasal burning	9 (16.07)	3 (21.43)
Electric like sensation in the nose	9 (16.07)	3 (21.43)
Nasal dryness	8 (14.29)	2 (14.29)
Sore throat	29 (51.79)	7 (50)
Flu-like	5 (8.93)	2 (14.29)
Sneezing	5 (8.93)	0
Mouth dryness	4 (7.14)	0
Duration of recovery of general, respiratory, gastrointestinal and other ENT manifestations; days	4–30 (12.55 ± 6.04)	5–15 (7.13 ± 2.69)	0.082
Previous treatment trials for smell and taste disorders			0.335
None	29 (19.3)	10 (28.57)
Nasal irrigation	19 (12.67)	4 (11.43)
Local steroids	65 (43.33)	23 (65.71)
Systemic steroids	14 (9.33)	13 (37.14)
Vitamins and supplements	69 (43.33)	17 (48.57)
Olfactory training	25 (16.67)	17 (48.57)
Consequences of sensory disorders			0.516
Headache	6 (4)	4 (11.43)
Insomnia	10 (6.67)	2 (5.71)
Anxiety	16 (10.67)	5 (14.29)
Anorexia	31 (20.67)	5 (14.29)
Recurrence of COVID-19 infection with smell loss	3 (2)	-
Duration of disorders at presentation	6–24 (11.43 ± 3.87)	6–24 (11.96 ± 4.41)	0.515
< 12 mo	77 (51.33)	13 (52.38)	0.131
≥ 12 mo	73 (48.67)	22 (62.86)
Onset of parosmia after smell loss	2–6 (3.60 ± 1.52)	1–5 (2.81 ± 1.47)	0.442
Parosmia	98 (65.33)	21 (60)	0.284
Types of parosmia	42 (42.86)	6 (28.57)	0.709
Unknown (unpleasant)	52 (53.06)	13 (52.38)
Rotten	17 (17.35)	4 (19.05)
Burnt	15 (15.31)	3 (14.29)
Smoke	3 (3.06)	1 (4.76)
Fecal	5 (5.10)	-
Gasoline	2 (2.04)	-
Metallic	2 (2.04)	-
Unknown (pleasant)	2 (2.04)	-
Dysgeusia	5 (3.33)	-
Types of dysgeusia
Metallic	3 (60)	-
Soap	2 (40)	-
Objective manifestations
Anosmia (orthonasal olfactory loss)	150 (100)	35 (100)	-
Ageusia	30 (20)	7 (20)	0.918
Flavor loss (retronasal olfactory loss)	30 (20)	7 (20)	0.596
Nasal trigeminal sensory loss	30 (20)	3 (8.57)	0.025
Oral trigeminal sensory loss	30 (20)	7 (20)	0.918

Data are presented as number (%) and range (mean ± SD).

Analysis (adults versus children) was done using nonparametric tests: Independent Samples Mann-Whitney U test. Criteria: Alpha = 0.05, CI level = 95. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019; ENT: Ear, nose and throat.