ArticleEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2021
Sudden olfactory loss as an early marker of COVID-19: a nationwide Italian survey.
Article in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Neurological and Head/Eyes/Ears/Nose/Throat Manifestations of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- High-Frequency TEOAE Amplitude Ratio Alterations in Newborns Exposed in Utero to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Prospective Cohort Study.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19; Self-report or olfactory dysfunction test?Caspian journal of internal medicine · 2025Review
- COVID-19: Where We Are and Where We Are Going.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Audiovestibular Disorders after COVID-19 Vaccine: Is There an Association?Audiology research · 2022Review
- Does SARS-CoV-2 affect cochlear functions in children?Saudi medical journal · 2022Article
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss after covid-19 vaccine; A possible adverse reaction?Otolaryngology case reports · 2021Article
- Tinnitus and equilibrium disorders in COVID-19 patients: preliminary results.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2021Article
- Comprehensive Review on Neuro-COVID-19 Pathophysiology and Clinical Consequences.Neurotoxicity research · 2021Review
- Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Mild COVID-19: Case Series and Analysis of the Literature.Audiology research · 2021Article
- Frequency and predictive validity of olfactory and taste dysfunction in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.Medicina clinica (English ed.) · 2021Article
- [Frequency and predictive validity of olfactory and taste dysfunction in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection].Medicina clinica · 2021Article
- The outcome of olfactory impairment in patients with otherwise paucisymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 during the pandemic.The Journal of laryngology and otology · 2021Observational
- Quantitative assessment of olfactory dysfunction accurately detects asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers.EClinicalMedicine · 2020Article
- Characteristics of COVID-19 smell and taste dysfunction in hospitalized patients.American journal of otolaryngologyArticle
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Authors and funding
19 authors at 11 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThe presence of many asymptomatic COVID-19 cases may increase the risks of disease dissemination, mainly for physicians. There are numerous reports on the frequent findings of sudden anosmia or hyposmia, before or at the same time of the typical COVID-19 symptoms onset. The aim of this study was to verify the association of olfactory impairment and COVID-19, providing a basis for subsequent research in the field of COVID-19 clinical heterogeneity.
methodsWe developed a 15-item online questionnaire on "Sudden Olfactory Loss (SOL) and COVID-19" that was administered during March 2020 to Italian general practitioners registered to a social media group.
resultsOne hundred and eighty responses were received. SOL was identified as a significant sign of infection in COVID-19 patients, mainly aged between 30 and 40 years, even in the absence of other symptoms. SOL was present as an initial symptom in 46.7% of subjects, and in 16.7%, it was the only symptom. Among the COVID-19 confirmed cases, SOL occurred as the only symptom in 19.2% of patients.
conclusionSOL could represent a possible early symptom in otherwise asymptomatic COVID-19 subjects. Subjects affected by SOL should be considered as potential COVID-19 cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.
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