Mild covid-19 cases are more likely to lose their scent, the study finds


A patient in Mexico City, Mexico received the Covid-19 nasal swab test in December 2020.

A patient in Mexico City, Mexico received the Covid-19 nasal swab test in December 2020.
Photo: Rebecca Blackwell (A.P.)

For people with mild covid-19, the nose is better known than other parts of the body. New research released Wednesday shows that about 90 percent of people Mild illness The experience of losing their sense of smell, which is more prevalent than people with more serious illness. Although usually temporary, this can lead to loss of odor The last Six months and even lOnjar.

Research, Published The Journal of Internal Medicine looked at the medical records of more than 2,500 Covid-19 patients who cared for one of 18 hospitals across Europe. Most patients were diagnosed with mild to moderate symptoms, while others were hospitalized with severe or complicated covid-19.

All told, about three-quarters of patients reported loss of smell, medically referred to as anesthesia. But there was a huge gap in the presentation of this symptom at different levels of intensity. In patients with mild illness, 86% Odor loss reported, only%. %% compared to moderate patients and severe.9% severe patients. While focusing only on patients who confirmed odor loss through objective tests, this gap continued to decrease but remained: Of these.74 ..% odor loss is confirmed in mild cases, while in moderate-to-critical cases.6.66..6%.

The authors write that “lfflastic dysfunction is a widespread disorder in patients with mild forms of the disease, which is more prevalent in patients with mild forms of the disease.”

The findings show that the findings are linked to previous studies There is one very common feature of the Covid-19 – which was one Underported In the early days of the epidemic. Other research suggests that there are inconsistencies in mild cases More often. But a new study is one of the biggest ways to examine its prevalence And to keep the data of patients who had an osmia Confirmed with tests.

However this study cannot tell us why there are more mild cases Says to lose their sense of smell, The authors have theories. The leading explanation is that inconsistency The irony is that the body does the right thing to prevent coronavirus. In these patients, the infection never spreads beyond the upper respiratory tract, thanks to a strong, localized immune response. But this response Can lead to inflammation that damages or interferes with nearby cells that help us process the odor, at least for a while.

In more serious cases some malpractice is going on. Patients in the hospital always deal with a wide variety of symptoms, while very serious patients may need intensive interventions such as feeding tubes or ventilation. PThe more serious Covid-19 anteaters just won’t notice Their insomnia as it happens. It may explain the high rate of study irregularities Between middle-To-Serious cases which were actually investigated.

Thanks, for most people Those who experience covid related inconsistencies, It seems to be self-limiting. The average time in patients was about three weeks, with about a third reporting that it lasted only two weeks. But 15% of patients who were expertly examined lost their sense of smell for at least two months, while only less than 5% of individuals also had six –Month mark. Who have more acute inconsistencies Initially his experience was more likely to continue even after months.

The authors theorize short-standing cases of aneurysmia The nasal congestion and swelling that are commonly seen with everyday colds present nothing but it and can block our ability to smell for a moment. But people with constant inconsistencies Probably a more complex problem on their hands, i.e. extensive damage For olfactory cells, either from infection or inflammation. Most people who contract Kovid-19 will later smell their heartbeat, with the epidemic intensifying with millions of confirmed cases worldwide in early January – meaning many may lose their odor permanently.

The authors hope that their research will lead to future studies that look at these long-term cases to better understand the phenomenon, as well as how to figure it out. Improving a person Opportunity for recovery.

.