B-ENT
Original Article

The prevalence of anosmia among patients with COVID-19 in İstanbul, Turkey: A cross-sectional study

1.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, İstanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

2.

Department of Emergency Medicine, İstanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

3.

Department of Internal Medicine, Şişli Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

4.

Demiroğlu Bilim University Medical School, İstanbul, Turkey

5.

Department of Infectious Diseases, İstanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

6.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Şişli Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

B-ENT 2021; 17: 24-30
DOI: 10.5152/B-ENT.2021.20133
Read: 643 Downloads: 401 Published: 02 July 2021

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new disease entity that appeared in late 2019. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of loss of smell and/or taste among patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and identify demographic and clinical differences between patients with and without anosmia/dysgeusia. 

Methods: The study was performed in a referral center for COVID-19 in Istanbul, Turkey between the months of April and July 2020. The responses from a set of questions in regard to loss of sense of smell and/or taste were collected. None of these patients were exposed to any further examination or testing related to their senses of smell and/or taste. The data in regard to the patients being tested as well as their demographic information and co-morbidities associated with their condition were collected.

Results: Twenty patients (10 male, 10 females, mean age 43.3 years) out of 86 patients (49 male, 37 female, median age 49.5 years), who tested positive for COVID-19, declared a loss of smell and/or taste. Nineteen patients (19/20, 95%) had a full recovery, and one (1/20, 5%) had partial recovery at the end of two weeks. 

Conclusion: Our results indicate that 23.3% of patients who tested positive with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing for COVID-19 had loss of sense of smell to a certain extent. 

Cite this article as: Çelikoyar MM, Kavlakoğlu N, Oğuz İnan B, et al. The prevalence of anosmia among patients with COVID-19 in Istanbul, Turkey: A cross-sectional study. B-ENT 2021; 17(1): 24-30.

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