"Loss of smell" is a prevalent symptom in COVID-19 patients

Objectives:
Is olfactory dysfunction or "loss of smell" a prevalent symptom in COVID-19 patients?

Study design:
This review article included a total of 51 studies with 11,074 confirmed COVID-19 patients. Of these, 21 studies used a control group with 3,425 patients.

Results and conclusions:                
The investigators found the symptom of "loss of smell" [OR = 14.7, 95% CI = 8.9 to 24.3] was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group when compared to the control group.

The investigators found 7 studies comparing severe COVID-19 patients with- and without "loss of smell" demonstrated favourable prognosis for patients with "loss of smell" [OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.48].

The investigators concluded olfactory dysfunction or "loss of smell" is a prevalent symptom in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, COVID-19 patients with "loss of smell" appear to have a milder course of the disease.

Original title:
The Association of "Loss of Smell" to COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Nnalysis by Aziz M, Goyal H, […], Perisetti A.

Link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33349441/

Additional information of El Mondo:
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