COVID-19 infection related olfactory dysfunction in Saudi Arabia: Community-based study

Background: loss of smell is a common symptom of coronavirus infections. Studies have shown that patients following recovery from COVID-19 develop olfactory dysfunction which can persist for an extended period. The purpose of this study is to assess the long-term olfactory dysfunction and its associated factors in individuals with a history of infection COVID-19 infection, as well as the impact of olfactory dysfunction on quality of life in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A questionnaire based cross-sectional study was conducted targeting individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection. Results: A total of 174 participants were included in this study. The percentage of anosmia, hyposmia, parosmia, and phantosmia among the participants was 11.5%, 37.4%, 40.8%, and 33.3% respectively. Parosmia was significantly associated with olfactory training (P-value= 0.019). Olfactory training and age group from 46 to 55 years were showed significant association with phantosmia (ghost odors) (P-value= 0.008, 0.012) respectively. 28.7% of participants reported that their smell sense problems caused them to eat less than previously, and 21.8% reported that they ate out less. 13.8% stated that their smell sense issues have a negative impact on their daily social activities, and according to 5.2%, changes in the smell sense isolated them socially. Conclusion: Long-term olfactory dysfunction was shown to be common among individuals who had a history of COVID-19 infection. The quality of life of those who are affected by olfactory dysfunction is negatively impacted. Further research is recommended to understand the pathophysiology of anosmia, hyposmia, and phantosmia in COVID-19 patients.