DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2021.v09i12.027

Pages: 1929-1933

Introduction: Otorhinolaryngological manifestations, including symptoms like anosmia, dysgeusia, sore throat, and nasal congestion, have been widely recognized as key indicators of COVID-19 infection. This study aims to explore the otorhinolaryngological symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of ENT, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from March 2020 to March 2021, to analyze the otorhinolaryngological manifestations in COVID-19 patients. The study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital, and data collection spanned six months. The study population consisted of 100 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 via RT-PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographic variables, while chi-square tests were used to assess associations between categorical variables. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: The study involved 100 participants with a balanced age distribution, 55% male and 45% female, and 20% having hypertension and 15% diabetes mellitus. The most prevalent otorhinolaryngological symptoms were sore throat (50%), anosmia (40%), and dysgeusia (35%), all of which were statistically significant. The severity of symptoms varied by age, with anosmia most common in younger participants (66.7%) and sore throat more frequent in older groups (66.7% in those over 50). There were no significant gender differences in symptom prevalence. Co-morbidities such as hypertension and diabetes were linked to higher symptom prevalence, with anosmia and sore throat more common in hypertensive individuals, and anosmia and dysgeusia more common in those with diabetes. Participants without co-morbidities reported lower symptom rates. Conclusion: Symptoms such as sore throat, anosmia, and dysgeusia were common, with anosmia being strongly associated with younger age groups and co-morbidities, particularly hype