COVID-19 Anosmia Reporting Tool: Initial Findings. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaye, Rachel; Chang, C. W. David; Kazahaya, Ken; Brereton, Jean; Denneny, James C.
• Is Part Of: Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery. Volume 163:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 132
• Page End: 134
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: coronavirus -- COVID-19 -- anosmia -- dysgeusia -- smell -- taste; Head -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Neck -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; 617.51
• DOI: 10.1177/0194599820922992
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0194-5998

Abstract

There is accumulating anecdotal evidence that anosmia and dysgeusia are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To investigate their relationship to SARS-CoV2 infection, the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery developed the COVID-19 Anosmia Reporting Tool for Clinicians for the basis of this pilot study. This tool allows health care providers to confidentially submit cases of anosmia and dysgeusia related to COVID-19. We analyzed the first 237 entries, which revealed that anosmia was noted in 73% of patients prior to COVID-19 diagnosis and was the initial symptom in 26.6%. Some improvement was noted in 27% of patients, with a mean time to improvement of 7.2 days in this group (85% of this group improved within 10 days). Our findings suggest that anomia can be a presenting symptom of COVID-19, consistent with other emerging international reports. Anosmia may be critical in timely identification of individuals infected with SARS-CoV2 who may be unwittingly transmitting the virus.