Temporal patterns of nasal symptoms in patients with mild severity SARS-CoV-2 infection

摘要

Background: No study to date has analyzed the progression of sinonasal symptoms over time in COVID-19 patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the progression of sinonasal symptoms and risk factors for olfactory dysfunction in the mild severity COVID-19 patient. Methods: An internet survey was used to assess sinonasal symptoms in patients with COVID-19. Changes in rhinologic domain and symptom-specific Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores were compared at five time points: two weeks before diagnosis, at diagnosis, two weeks after diagnosis, four weeks after diagnosis, and six months after diagnosis. Results: 521 responses were collected. Rhinologic domain SNOT-22 scores increased significantly (p 0.999). Taste-specific SNOT-22 scores also peaked at diagnosis (2.06, p 0.999). There were no significant differences in sense of smell or taste between 1-month and 6-month timepoints. Conclusion: Sinonasal symptoms, particularly loss of smell and taste, may be important presenting symptoms in the mild severity COVID-19 patient. Our findings support incorporating these symptoms into screening protocols. Level of evidence: 4