Anosmia and dysgeusia amongst COVID‐19 patients are associated with low levels of serum glucagon‐like peptide 1. Issue 12 (6th November 2021) - Ben‐Chetrit, Eli
Abstract: Purpose: Anosmia and dysgeusia (AD) are common amongst COVID‐19 patients. These symptoms are not frequently associated with rhinorrhea or nasal congestion and the underlying mechanism is unclear. Previous reports suggested that glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) signalling plays a role in the modulation of olfaction and ageusia. We aimed to assess the correlation between GLP‐1 and COVID‐19‐associated AD. Methods: Blood samples obtained from COVID‐19 patients with and without AD were tested for serum GLP‐1 levels using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A second control group comprised of COVID‐19‐negative volunteers. Results: Forty‐nine subjects were included in the study. Nineteen were positive for COVID‐19. Of the 19 patients, 10 had AD and 9 declined such complaints. Age and basic metabolic rate were similar amongst all study groups. Serum GLP‐1 levels were significantly lower amongst patients with AD compared with patients without AD and COVID‐19‐negative individuals (1820 pg/mL vs 3536 pg/mL vs 3014 pg/mL, respectively, P < .02). Conclusion: COVID‐19 patients who reported AD had lower serum levels of GLP‐1 compared with those lacking AD symptoms and COVID‐19‐negative individuals. These results suggest that GLP‐1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. However, further larger scale studies should corroborate our findings.