Hypogeusia as the initial presenting symptom of COVID-19.
Publication/Presentation Date
5-13-2020
Abstract
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which first arose in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has since been declared a pandemic. The clinical sequelae vary from mild, self-limiting upper respiratory infection symptoms to severe respiratory distress, acute cardiopulmonary arrest and death. Otolaryngologists around the globe have reported a significant number of mild or otherwise asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 presenting with olfactory dysfunction. We present a case of COVID-19 resulting in intensive care unit (ICU) admission, presenting with the initial symptom of disrupted taste and flavour perception prior to respiratory involvement. After 4 days in the ICU and 6 days on the general medicine floor, our patient regained a majority of her sense of smell and was discharged with only lingering dysgeusia. In this paper, we review existing literature and the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 in relation to the reported symptoms of hyposmia, hypogeusia and dysgeusia.
Volume
13
Issue
5
ISSN
1757-790X
Published In/Presented At
Melley, L. E., Bress, E., & Polan, E. (2020). Hypogeusia as the initial presenting symptom of COVID-19. BMJ case reports, 13(5), e236080. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-236080
Disciplines
Education | Medical Education
PubMedID
32404376
Department(s)
Department of Education
Document Type
Article