DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2021.v09i06.039

Pages: 1062-1068

Background: COVID-19 is a pandemic that has infected more than 100 million individuals, clinical presentations varies from common cold like symptoms to severe acute respiratory illness; olfactory and gustatory dysfunction may be presenting /concurrent/delayed symptoms in COVID 19 infection. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 60 COVID- 19 positive patients and 60 COVID negative/suspect patients respectively were enrolled from march 2020 to July 2020 in Bowring and lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore and they were assessed for taste and smell sensations based on SQOD- NS and questions based on smell and taste component of NHNE survey, symptomatic patients were followed up and duration needed for recovery of symptoms was analysed for P value, chi-square value, other relevant blood and radiological investigations were done. Results: Among 60 COVID 19 positive patients, males were 43 (35.8%) and females were 17(14.2%) and Among 60 COVID negative/Suspects, males were 39, females were 21.Among COVID 19 positive group 15 patients had Anosmia, 29 patients had Hyposmia, 16 patients had no loss of smell .Recovery time for smell following infections takes >15days for 12 patients, 9-14 days for 26 patients, 4-8 days for 17 patients and, 1-4 days for 5 patients, but most of COVID negative /suspects about 48 patients were taken 1-4 days recovery of smell and the P value was 0.00 and Chi-square value was 68.74 which were statistically significant. Conclusion: We concluded that patients with COVID 19 positive status had severe spectrum of olfactory dysfunction like anosmia, hyposmia and they will have long recovery time compared to COVID negative /suspect patients. Taste perception was more impaired in COVID positive patients compared to COVID negative /suspects. Covid positive patients had higher sQOD-NS score compared to COVID negative patients and significant associations are seen. Hence these symptoms can aid in diagnosis of COVID-19 which can be further confirmed by