The sense of smell did not return after 2 months in a quarter of the Covid patients

by

Nearly a quarter of patients who suffered from coronavirus odor loss did not see it return two months later, new study finds.

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

By Joe Pinkstone for Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Loss of senses, smell and taste are common symptoms of Covid-19, and new data shows that 86 percent of people with mild cases suffer from it.

Only 4.5 percent of people with moderate cases and 6.9 percent in severe to critical cases say they have these symptoms.

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

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

Scroll down for video

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

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

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

Objective clinical evaluations found a loss of odor in 54.7 percent of the mild cases of COVID-19 and 36.6 percent of the moderate to critical cases of COVID-19.

And two months later, almost a quarter of the patients still suffered from a lack of odor, also known as anosmia.

Researchers examined anonymous data from more than 2,000 people in 18 different European hospitals.

Objective clinical evaluations found a loss of odor in 54.7 percent of the mild cases of COVID-19 and 36.6 percent of the moderate to critical cases of COVID-19. Researchers discovered olfactory dysfunction in more than half of mild viral infections (stock)

Objective clinical evaluations found a loss of odor in 54.7 percent of the mild cases of COVID-19 and 36.6 percent of the moderate to critical cases of COVID-19. Researchers discovered 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 a total or partial loss of sense of smell and / or taste.

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

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

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

Head injuries and nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s can also contribute to the condition by damaging nerves in the nose that are responsible for detecting odors.

Professor Jerome Lechien, a lead author of the study at Paris Saclay University, said: infection. ‘

The mean duration of this ‘olfactory dysfunction’ reported by patients was 21.6 days, researchers found.

Young patients could have a higher rate of anosmia compared to older people, scientists said.

Professor Lechien added: “After two months of follow-up, 75 percent to 85 percent of patients recovered the sense of smell according to subjective and objective olfactory evaluations.

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

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

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

Mild patients were defined as those with no evidence of viral pneumonia or hypoxia – a lack of oxygen – and who usually recovered at home, while severe cases were associated with hospitalization.

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

Young 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, a new study finds.

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

About half of the participants suffered from smell and taste disorders, a known symptom of the infectious disease.

But while older people are generally more vulnerable to other effects of COVID-19, younger patients were more likely to have anosmia and ageusia, they found.

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

Despite this, people must isolate themselves if they lose their sense of smell or taste, as it is an officially recognized symptom of the disease.

.Source