<p>Loss of Taste and Smell are Common Clinical Characteristics of Patients with COVID-19 in Somalia: A Retrospective Double Centre Study</p>

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the common clinical presentations and the evidence on the presence of ageusia and anosmia as an emerging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptom to better inform in both COVID-19 patients and clinicians. Patients and Methods As part of a double-institutional collaboration coordinated by doctors, this study retrospectively collected and analyzed the clinical characteristics of 60 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia between April 1 and April 20, 2020. Pregnant women and patients taking anti-cancer drugs had been excluded from the study. Data from each institution’s electronic medical record had been obtained. Results Sixty patients who had RT-PCR positive for COVID-19 were included in this study; of these patients, all of them had unknown exposure to COVID-19. The mean (SD) age was 45.7 (13.5) years, and 42 were men (70%). Of these patients, 80% had at least ageusia or anosmia. The most common symptoms at the onset of illness were cough (75%), fever (71.3%), myalgia or fatigue (53.3%), anosmia (loss of smell) (40%), ageusia (loss of taste) (28.3%), sore throat (25%), shortness of breath (16.7%), headache (16.7%), and GI symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and loss appetite) (16.7%). A total of 68.3% of COVID-19 infected patients had reported either loss of taste or smell, and about 33.3% of them had only loss of smell, while 23.3% of them had impaired taste, and 11.7% of COVID-19 infected patients had both taste and smell loss. Conclusion During the epidemic period of SARS-CoV-2 infection, when presenting patients with ageusia and anosmia, physicians should consider COVID-19 pneumonia as a differential diagnosis to achieve early identification, avoid the delayed diagnosis, and prevention of transmission.

Global prevalence and pathogenesis of headache in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In total, 78 studies were included to calculate the prevalence of headache in COVID-19 and all studies were published in 2020. The studies were conducted in Brazil 50 , China 13 , 51 – 96 , Egypt 97 , France 98 – 101 , Germany 102 , India 103 , 104 , Italy 105 – 111 , Japan 112 , 113 , Jordan 114 , Somalia 115 , South Korea 116 , 117 , Spain 118 , 119 , Turkey 120 , 121 , and the US 122 – 126 . Two studies were cross-sectional 119 , 122 , five were prospective cohort studies 65 , 90 , 98 , 110 , 121 and the remaining 71 studies were retrospective studies.…”

Global prevalence and pathogenesis of headache in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In total, 78 studies were included to calculate the prevalence of headache in COVID-19 and all studies were published in 2020. The studies were conducted in Brazil 50 , China 13,51-96 , Egypt 97 , France 98-101 , Germany 102 , India 103,104 , Italy [105][106][107][108][109][110][111] , Japan 112,113 , Jordan 114 , Somalia 115 , South Korea 116,117 , Spain 118,119 , Turkey 120,121 , and the US [122][123][124][125][126] . Two studies were cross-sectional 119,122 , five were prospective cohort studies 65,90,98,110,121 and the remaining 71 studies were retrospective studies.…”

Neurological manifestations of patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 attending a public hospital in Lima, Peru

“…Few studies from LMIC have been conducted assessing hyposmia or hypogeusia prevalence. In one study from Somalia, up to 80% of patients reported ageusia or anosmia and were the first presenting symptom in about 40% of the cohort with COVID-19 infection [ 41 ].…”