What About Using Sniffin’ Sticks 12 Screening Test to Identify Post-Covid-19 Olfactory Disorders?

Abstract

Background: Olfactory impairment is a major sequela of SARS CoV 2 infection and has a negative impact on daily life quality. Olfactory loss can be assessed in many ways but seems to be little realized in a daily clinical practice. The sniffin Sticks test12 items (SST12) can be used in quick olfactory disorders screening. Its use in a post-covid19 situation was the main objective of this work. Methodology: Consecutive patients consulting to the ENT department with post-Covid-19 olfactory loss were included. The clinical examination included an analog scale for the self-assessment of olfactory recovery (VAS), self-reported salt and sugar intake, a nasofibroscopy, the complete Sniffin Stick Test (SST) and the SST12. Results: Among the 54 patients included, based on the SST12, 14,8% (n=8) of the patients could be classified as normosmic (SST12≥11), 48,1% (n=26) as hyposmic (6< SST12<10) and 37% (n=20) as functional anosmic (SST12≤6). We report excellent and significant correlations between SST12 and SST or VAS assessments. Salt and Sugar increased intake seems significantly related to SST12 results. Conclusions: SST12 is a reliable way to screen post COVID 19 olfactory disorders could be used in a daily clinical practice and might be used to prevent bad diet habits and so cardiovascular risk.