Avaliação da seletividade olfatória causada pela infecção por SARS-COV-2

Abstract

Introduction: Sudden loss of smell is one of the most prevalent symptoms of COVID-19. The sense of smell ranges from detecting warning odors in the environment to building our most pleasurable experiences. This sense stimulates a complex neural network, including the temporal lobe, the amygdala, the insula and a large part of the limbic lobe: the loss of smell should not, only, be considered a sensory symptom, but also a psycho-sensory syndrome. Objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the olfactory selectivity and trigeminal sensation in olfactory alterations reported by patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods: The Randomized case-control study involving 88 individuals: COVID-19 without olfactory dysfunction previously diagnosed prior to the pandemic period; with COVID-19 with olfactory dysfunction diagnosed before the pandemic period; and without COVID-19 and loss of olfactory sensitivity during the pandemic period, with persistent anosmia or hyposmia after SARS-CoV-2 infection. All individuals participating in the study (Control/intervention groups) diagnosed with or without COVID-19 underwent evaluation data collection form and psychophysical sensory test which included olfactory test, olfactory memory test, olfactory threshold test and trigeminal sensation test (CEP-UFPA: 40962420.2.0000.0018). ANOVA follow the Tukey test. Results: The results demonstrated which all patients with or without COVID-19 diagnosis, loss the ability to not identify the odorant of banana essence when compared to the healthy health group being significant control vs. COVID-19 without p<0.0002 and significant control vs. COVID-19 with p<0.0010 and not significant COVID-19 without vs. COVID-19 with p>0.05. For the short-term olfactory memory test which all patients with or without COVID-19 diagnosis, demonstrated an increase in the misidentification of odorants presented when compared to healthy controls, as well as in the olfactory threshold differences in perception were observed between the groups. analyzed. The absence of at least one chemosensory function (cooling sensation) of the trigeminal during the test period was reported by which all patients with or without COVID-19 diagnosis, when compared to the healthy control group. Conclusion: In this way, SARS-CoV-2 infection may be promoting an olfactory dysfunction that affects the perception of banana odor, as well as the affected long-term characteristic such as olfactory memory, olfactory threshold and trigeminal sensation of olfactory loss that COVID-19. 19 generates in patients may provide clues to therapeutic interventions aimed at preventing, alleviating or curing long-term olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19.