Radio-laboratory findings in COVID-19 anosmia patients: a single-center experience

Algarf, Tareq Muhammad; Youssef, Mahmoud Atef; Elshazly, Mostafa; Ismail, Mohamed Said; Hasswa, Mohamed Kamal; Mousa, Mohamed Shaaban

BACKGROUND: There is solid evidence that olfactory dysfunction (OD) can present in COVID-19 patients. Anosmia can be the only presentation or can be accompanied by other symptoms of COVID-19. Multiple cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that the incidence rate of olfactory dysfunction is high in COVID-19 patients with good prognosis. The aim of our study is to investigate the presence of OD with the radiologic and laboratory findings among COVID-19 positive patients. RESULTS: There was statistical significance in clinical severity between anosmia and non-anosmia group (P value 0.000) denoting that anosmia sign mostly occur in mild COVID. Also, there was significance in D dimer between two groups (P value 0.044) denoting that D dimer could be a sign of clinical severity and it is usually not elevated in anosmia. All anosmia group had normal CT chest denoting that it is a mild form of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is an imminent sign of COVID-19 patient, which can be presented as a sole symptom or with other symptoms. As anosmia could be the sole clinical presentation of COVID-19 patients without any other significant signs and so otolaryngologists should be aware of this presentation in COVID-19 diagnosis.