Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic is a real global health crisis. Its clinical
presentation has evolved over time with an increasing number of symptoms. Olfactory dysfunction (OD) has recently been recognized as a frequent symptom relevant to screening for
COVID-19, especially in pauci-asymptomatic forms. However, the underlying mechanisms of
OD are not yet fully understood.
Aims:
To determine the prevalence of OD in healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 and to identify its associated factors.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional, analytical study, carried out during a period of six months
and including all healthcare workers at Farhat Hached Academic Hospital (Tunisia) who were
diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 by PCR, RAT, or chest CT scan.
Results:
A total of 474 healthcare workers were included, representing a participation rate of
85.4%. The mean age was 41.02±10.67 years with a sex ratio of 0.2. The distribution of this
population by department noted that it was mainly maternity (13.9%). The most presented
workstation was nursing (31.4%). OD represented 39.2% of the reasons for consultation. Hospitalization was indicated in 16 patients (3.4%). The average duration of hospitalization was 8.87
± 7.8 days. The average time off work was 17.04 ± 11.6 days. OD persisted for more than 90
days in 35 patients (7.4%). After multiple binary logistic regression, OD was statistically associated with female gender (p =0.001; OR 95% CI: 2.46 [1.4-4.2]) and blue-collar occupational
category (p =0.002; OR IC95%:3.1 [1.5-6.5]). A significant association was also noted between
OD and professional seniority and absence from work duration (p =0.019; OR 95% CI: 0.97
[0.95-0.99] and p =0.03; OR 95% CI: 0.97 [0.95-0.99]) respectively.
Conclusion:
OD is common in COVID-19 patients. The identification of its associated factors
may contribute to enhancing the understanding of its mechanism and drive therapeutic options.