KBB-Forum 2023 , Cilt 22, Sayı 4

OLFACTORY AND GUSTATORY DYSFUNCTION AND AUDIO-VESTIBULAR SYMPTOMS IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

Gülce KİRAZLI 1, PhD; Meryem MUTLU 2, PhD; Ece ÇINAR 3, MD; İbrahim ÖZCAN 2, MD;
1Ege University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Audiology, Izmir, Turkey
2University of Health Sciences, Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital, Audiology and Speech Pathology Department, Kayseri, Turkey
3Ege University Medical Faculty, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Izmir, Turkey
4University of Health Sciences, Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Kayseri, Turkey Objective: The study aims to determine subjective audio-vestibular symptoms with questionnaires and olfactory and gustatory dysfunction with visual analog scales among the inpatient and outpatient COVID-19 patients in accordance with their receiving the diagnosis period, and to compare the results.

Materials and Methods: This two-centered study consist of 150 COVID-19 patients. The patients are categorized into three groups in accordance with their receiving the diagnosis period (14-30 days, 31-90 days, and 91-270 days) and each group consists of two sub-groups in terms of the setting of treatment (inpatient and outpatient). The following questionnaires and scales have been administered to the study group: Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap (AIADH), Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Living Scale (VADL), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) - dizziness severity degree, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) - smell and taste loss severity degree.

Results: The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) - dizziness severity degree appeared to be significantly higher in the groups with receiving the diagnosis period 14-30 days and 31-90 days in comparison to the group with the receiving the diagnosis period 91-270 days. Further, in both two groups, VADL scores of the inpatient patients appeared to be significantly higher in comparison to outpatients" scores of the above-mentioned questionnaire. The total amount of patients who regained their smell and taste senses in the group with receiving the diagnosis period of 14-30 days is significantly lower in comparison to the other two groups. There is no statistically significant difference determined between groups in terms of the other questionnaires and scales.

Conclusion: As the severity of the infection increases in the first months after the diagnosis of COVID-19, COVID-19 has harmful effects, especially on balance and olfactory and gustatory functions, but recovery in these symptoms of patients is observed in the following period. Keywords : COVID-19; hearing loss; olfactory dysfunction; gustatory dysfunction; dizziness; vertigo