2023-06-13 18:30:00
Since its appearance in 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 767 million people worldwide, including 276 million in Europe. While most patients recover from Covid-19, some symptoms may persist such as loss of taste and smell. And complications can persist for a long time. Indeed, a study, conducted by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear establishment and published in the journal The Laryngoscope on June 2, 2023, revealed that a quarter of the patients affected in 2021 have not recovered their senses of smell and taste.
Alarming results from a recent study
To determine the impact of Covid-19 on patients, study researchers analyzed data from a 2021 United States Health Survey (NHIS), which included the medical records of 29,696 adults infected with SARS- CoV-2. Around 60% of participants surveyed who had been infected with Covid-19 had experienced a loss of smell and around 58% had experienced a loss of taste during their infection.
Currently, 24% of these patients have reported only partial recovery of smell, and more than 3% have still not recovered their sense of smell. Regarding the taste, 20% of the respondents only partially recovered it and more than 2% did not recover at all.
In addition, scientists have found that the severity of Covid-19 symptoms is correlated with the loss of smell and taste. The more severe the symptoms, the higher the percentages of patients with a loss of smell or taste. Additionally, the likelihood of sensory recovery decreased with more severe symptoms.
Important consequences for patients
The loss of smell and taste can have significant repercussions for patients. Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya, author of the study, reported the case of one such patient who lost more than 22 kilos due to his loss of sense of smell.
“The patient was not eating and became very ill and very depressed due to loss of sense of smell”explains the scientist in a communiqué. “When you hear about the loss of smell related to Covid-19, you think most people get it back and are fine. But there are a significant number of people who don’t get it back”.
It is therefore crucial for researchers to put in place treatments and psychological support for individuals confronted with these disorders on a prolonged basis. “Loss of smell or taste is not as benign as one might think. It can lead to a decrease in eating for pleasure and in the most extreme cases it can lead to depression and weight loss”assure Dr Bhattacharya.
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