Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32835793›Full record

Observational studyClinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases2020

More than loss of taste and smell: burning watering eyes in coronavirus disease 2019.

Alexander C Rokohl, Niklas Loreck, Philomena A Wawer Matos, Sarah Zwingelberg, Max Augustin, Felix Dewald, Rafael S Grajewski, Florian Klein, Clara Lehmann, Ludwig M Heindl

Open access · bronzeAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.0field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Genomic Patterns are Associated with Different Sequelae of Patients with Long-Term COVID-19.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025
    Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. SARS-CoV-2 and the Eyes: A Review of the Literature on Transmission, Detection, and Ocular Manifestations.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2021
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. COVID-19 and conjunctivitis: a meta-analysis.Therapeutic advances in ophthalmology
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Alexander C RokohlDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Electronic address: alexander.rokohl@uk.koeln.de.
Niklas LoreckDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Philomena A Wawer MatosDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Sarah ZwingelbergDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Max AugustinUniversity of Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cologne, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany; University of Cologne, Centre for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Felix DewaldLaboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Rafael S GrajewskiDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Florian KleinLaboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Clara LehmannUniversity of Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cologne, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany; University of Cologne, Centre for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Ludwig M HeindlDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
University of Cologne · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo evaluate ocular symptoms in European non-hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to investigate associations with the demographic data as well as nasal and general physical symptoms.

methodsIn this prospective, observational study, 108 non-hospitalized patients with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection not requiring intensive care were asked about disease-associated ocular symptoms, demographic data, as well as general physical and nasal symptoms using a standardized questionnaire. Total ocular symptom score (TOSS) was evaluated during and, retrospectively, before development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Associations between TOSS and demographic data as well as general and nasal symptoms were evaluated.

resultsSeventy-five of the 108 COVID-19 patients (69.4%) had at least one ocular symptom during COVID-19. The most common symptoms included burning sensations in 39 (36.1%), epiphora in 37 (34.3%) and redness in 28 (25.9%), compatible with conjunctivitis. These symptoms occurred 1.96 ± 3.17 days after the beginning of COVID-19 and were mild. TOSS was significantly higher during COVID-19 (1.27 ± 1.85) than before the infection (0.33 ± 1.04; p < 0.001). There were no significant associations between TOSS and gender (β coefficient -0.108; p 0.302), age (-0.024; p 0.816), rhinorrhoea (-0.127; p 0.353), nasal itching (-0.026; p 0.803), sneezing (0.099; p 0.470), nasal congestion (-0.012; p 0.930), cough (-0.079; p 0.450), headache (0.102; p 0.325), sore throat (0.208; p 0.052), or fever (0.094; p 0.361).

conclusionsOcular involvement in European non-hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 seems to be highly underestimated. Overall, these ocular symptoms, including burning sensations, epiphora and redness, seem to be mild and to not need treatment.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overBetacoronavirusCoronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19EuropeEye DiseasesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsPneumonia, ViralPrevalenceBurning sensationsConjunctivitisCoronavirusCoronavirus disease 2019Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Watering

Identifiers

PMID32835793
PMCPMC7442009
OpenAlexW3054946272

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.