ArticleOtolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery2024
Stellate Ganglion Block for the Treatment of COVID-19-Induced Olfactory Dysfunction: A Prospective Pilot Study.
Article in Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Ganglia of the Head and Neck: Clinical Relevance for the Interventional Pain Physician.Current pain and headache reports · 2025Review
- Parosmia: Pathophysiology and Management.Current allergy and asthma reports · 2025Review
- Long-term olfactory loss post-COVID-19: Pathobiology and potential therapeutic strategies.World journal of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery · 2024Review
- Clinical studies in COVID-related olfactory disorders: Review of an institutional experience.World journal of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveThe objective of this study was to explore the safety and feasibility of stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) to treat persistent COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction (OD). Secondarily, the goal was to determine effect sizes to plan a future randomized clinical trial. STUDY
designProspective case series.
settingQuaternary Care Academic Medical Center.
methodsIn this single-arm pilot trial, adult participants with a COVID-19 diagnosis ≥ 12 months prior to enrollment with OD underwent bilateral SGBs. Subjects were followed for 1 month after completion of SGB. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale for smell loss. Secondary outcome measures included changes in the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and Olfactory Dysfunction Outcomes Rating (ODOR).
resultsTwenty participants were enrolled with a mean (SD) age of 46 (11) years and a mean (SD) duration of OD of 21 (5) months. At 1 month, 10 (50%) participants experienced at least slight subjective improvement in their OD, 11 (55%) attained a clinically meaningful improvement in smell identification using the UPSIT, and 7 (35%) achieved a clinically meaningful improvement in olfactory-specific quality of life (QoL) measured by the ODOR. The median difference between UPSIT scores at baseline and 1 month was 6 (95% confidence interval: 3-11), exceeding the minimal clinically important difference of 4. There were no serious adverse events.
conclusionSequential SGBs for COVID-19-associated OD were safe and associated with modest improvements in subjective olfaction, odor identification, and olfactory-specific QoL. A placebo-controlled trial is warranted to determine the efficacy of SGBs for COVID-19-associated OD.
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Registered trials
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