Persisting Smell and Taste Disorders in Patients Who Recovered from SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infection—Data from the Polish PoLoCOV-CVD Study

Abstract

In the majority of cases, patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus experience a complete resolution of symptoms within six weeks of acquiring the infection, but an increasing number of patients report persistent symptoms. This study aimed to analyse the prevalence of self-reported smell and/or taste disorders (STDs) in a group of convalescent patients after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and to identify risk factors for the disease. The study included 2218 COVID-19 convalescents after both inpatient and outpatient treatment. The sample group was analysed with regard to chronic diseases, place of isolation and clinical symptoms occurring during COVID-19 along with their duration. The assessment also included the most common symptoms of COVID-19 and the severity of the disease course. A total of 98 patients reported persistent smell and taste disorders up to three months after the end of isolation (67.4% of men and 32.6% of women). The mean age of the participants was 53.8 ± 13.5 years (49.19 ± 14.68 in patients with an STD vs. 54.01 ± 13.44 in patients without an STD). The patients treated for COVID-19 at home (p < 0.001) constituted almost the entire group of patients with persistent smell and taste disorders (97%). Among the patients with persistent smell and taste disorders, 57.1% suffered from at least one chronic condition (vs. 71.4% of patients without an STD). In patients with an STD, the number of symptoms per patient was higher than in the other group at 8.87 ± 3.65 (p = 0.018), while the most common clinical symptoms during the acute phase of COVID-19 were smell and taste disorders (84%) (p < 0.001), significant weakness (70%), headache (60%), cough (55%), arthralgia (51%) (p = 0.034) and back muscle pain (51%). Based on the results obtained, the following conclusions were drawn: the risk of developing persistent smell and taste disorders after COVID-19 is greater in younger people with less comorbidities and a higher number of symptoms during the acute phase of COVID-19. The risk is associated with clinical symptoms occurring during the acute phase of COVID-19, i.e., smell and taste disorders and arthralgia. In addition, this risk is higher in patients receiving outpatient treatment for COVID-19.

Acute and long-term immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in unvaccinated children and young adults with inborn errors of immunity

“…Taste and smell disturbances are commonly described as COVID-19 post-acute sequelae (63) even in population under 21 years old, and these can last for 2 years after acute infection (64). In adults, this has been associated with chronic systemic conditions (65)(66)(67), and correlated with particular acute COVID-19 symptoms (68). Nevertheless, the precise etiopathogenesis of this disorder is still elusive (69, 70).…”

The Effect of Sex on the Risk of Long-COVID and Cardiovascular Complications in Healthy Patients without Comorbidities: Data from a Polish Long-COVID Cardiovascular (PoLoCOV-CVD) Study

“…One of them is long-COVID (LC) syndrome, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which refers to a condition where individuals continue to experience a range of symptoms and health issues for weeks or even months after initially contracting COVID-19 [ 7 ]. The symptoms of long-COVID might be diverse: some common manifestations include fatigue, exercise intolerance, shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, joint and muscle pain, headaches, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, insomnia, loss of taste and smell, dizziness, anxiety, and depression, to serious cardiovascular complications like myocarditis or acute coronary syndrome [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. The exact mechanisms underlying long-COVID are not yet fully understood.…”

“…Some theories suggest that it could be related to persistent viral activity, immune dysfunction, inflammation, or organ and tissue damage caused by the initial infection [ 13 ]. Long-COVID can affect individuals of all ages, including those who initially had mild or asymptomatic cases initially [ 9 , 14 ]. Since long-COVID is a relatively new phenomenon, research is ongoing to better understand its long-term implications and develop effective interventions.…”

Upper Respiratory Symptoms as Long COVID: Insight from a Multicenter Cohort Study

“… 10 , 11 These symptoms are also frequently reported among individuals experiencing long COVID. 3 , 4 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 Several risk factors, such as younger age, milder COVID‐19 cases, and female sex, have been reported for persisting taste and olfactory disorders 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ; however, none have been definitively established.…”