Work

Unmasking Risk Factors for Post–COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction Resulting From Early Stages of the Pandemic: A Case-Control Study of Lost and Lingering Smells

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted olfactory dysfunction (OD) as a major and often persistent symptom in affected individuals. Thus, it is important to identify demographic and clinical factors contributing to OD among patients with COVID-19. METHODS: A case-control (1:3) study was performed in adult patients with COVID-19 diagnosis between July 2020 and June 2021. Cases had OD; controls did not have OD. OD was subclassified as acute smell loss (< 3 months), chronic smell loss (> 3 months), or altered sense of smell (eg, parosmia, phantosmia). Bivariate tests and multivariable logistic regression were performed for analysis. RESULTS: < .05). DISCUSSION: Understanding the course of post-COVID-19 OD is becoming increasingly important and may broaden these insights. CONCLUSION: Being younger, female, and atopic conferred highest likelihood of OD development after COVID-19.

Source: The Permanente Journal

DOI: 10.7812/tpp/25.010

Authors: Brooke Stephanian, Jacob Hoerter, Julia Wei, Richard Pellizzari, Jonathan Liang