Psychophysical evaluation of chemosensory functions 5 weeks after olfactory loss due to COVID-19: a prospective cohort study on 72 patients.
Serge-Daniel Le BonNathalie PisarskiJustine VerbekeLéa PrunierGaëtan CavelierMarie-Paule ThillAlexandra RodriguezDidier DequanterJérôme R LechienOlivier Le BonThomas HummelMihaela HoroiPublished in: European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (2020)
Five weeks after developing sudden chemosensory loss due to COVID-19, a high proportion of patients were dysosmic and showed signs of low nasal cooling sensitivity, whereas most of them had normal taste function. SARS-CoV-2 affected mainly odor thresholds, possibly suggesting that the major cause of loss of smell lies at the level of the olfactory neuroepithelium, rather than in the central nervous system.