| Home | Current Issue | Archive | Instructions to Authors | Journals |

Original Research Article

Year: 2021 | Month: June | Volume: 8 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 24-29

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20210604

Anosmia in COVID-19: The Indian Experience

Neethi Chandra M^a, Jhansi Lakshmi E^a, Aparna V^a, Dakshayenee M^a, Snigdha B^a, Srujana S^a, Buddolla Viswanath^b

^aDepartment of Pulmonology, ACSR Government Medical College (College of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada), Nellore - 524003, Andhra Pradesh, India.
^bDr. Buddolla's Institute of Life Sciences – 517503, Tirupati, India

Corresponding Authors: M. Neethi Chandra, B. Viswanath

ABSTRACT

This research aims to estimate the prevalence of anosmia in confirmed COVID-19 patients of the Indian population, to study the time of onset of anosmia, the duration of anosmia and whether the presence of anosmia is a significant symptom of COVID 19. The study group (N = 834) included all patients who were positive for Covid-19 and were symptomatic.145 of these 834 patients suffered with anosmia. All 145 patients were questioned in detailed and the findings were analyzed. In 29.7 % of patients, anosmia was a presenting or first symptom, a large proportion (91.7%) developed anosmia within 1 week of onset of symptoms. Anosmia alone with no other symptoms was seen in 12.2% of cases. In most cases (68.3%) anosmia was associated with ageusia. 81.3% had anosmia for less than one week.77.9% stayed in hospital for less than one week suggesting an overall good prognosis for COVID-19 infection. A delayed recovery of anosmia (more than 10 days) was seen in 33.33% of severe cases, 24.17% of moderate cases and 16.34% of the mild cases. Following the findings in this report, we want to conclude that anosmia was an early symptom, anosmia was the only symptom of COVID-19 in few cases, concomitant ageusia was seen in most participants and that fever was the most common associated symptom. In the majority of patients anosmia lasted for less than a week and resolved without any sequelae.

Keywords: Coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Symptoms; Anosmia; Ageusia.

[PDF Full Text]