الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), prompted global efforts to understand the diverse manifestations of the disease. Our study aimed to investigate olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in 63 COVID-19 patients, exploring their demographic, laboratory, and clinical correlates. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an unprecedented global research effort to comprehend the diverse spectrum of clinical presentations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic triggered a surge in clinical investigations, aiming to enhance diagnostic precision and therapeutic strategies. Notably, sensory disturbances, particularly olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions, have become recognized clinical features of COVID-19. Our study responds to this imperative by conducting a comprehensive exploration of these sensory impairments in 63 COVID-19 patients, scrutinizing their demographic, laboratory, and clinical characteristics. With methodological rigor, our study enrolled a cohort of 63 COVID-19 patients, emphasizing the importance of assessing olfactory and gustatory functions through clinical tests. The demographic profile of the study participants mirrored the broader trends observed in COVID-19 cases, with a mean age of 41.8 ± 10.5 years and a male predominance of 63.5%. We employed validated clinical tests for olfactory and gustatory functions, anchoring our investigation in objective measurements rather than relying solely on subjective self-evaluations. Our laboratory analyses encompassed a comprehensive set of parameters, including hemoglobin levels, total leukocyte count (TLC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and more. The meticulous selection of these markers aimed to unveil potential associations between sensory dysfunctions and underlying physiological processes. Rigorous methodologies were employed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of data collection, aligning with the imperative of robust scientific inquiry. Our study uncovered a noteworthy incidence of olfactory dysfunction in 65.1% of participants, with varying degrees of severity. Gustatory dysfunction was reported in 38.1% of cases, underlining the involvement of the chemosensory system in a significant proportion of COVID-19 patients. The demographic analysis revealed no significant age association with sensory dysfunctions, but a gender-based difference emerged, with males exhibiting a higher prevalence of gustatory dysfunction (p = 0.022386). Laboratory analyses provided insights into potential correlations between sensory dysfunctions and hematological parameters. While no significant differences were found in hemoglobin levels among those with and without olfactory dysfunction, individuals with gustatory dysfunction exhibited lower hemoglobin levels (p = 0.05). Furthermore, significant associations were noted between severe olfactory dysfunction and higher CRP levels (p = 0.06), as well as between anosmia and elevated D-dimer levels (p = 0.02). |