The impact of persistent COVID-19-related chemosensory dysfunction on quality of life, appetite and hunger: The COVORTS study

Abstract

Knowledge of how persistent COVID-19-related chemosensory dysfunction affects quality of life and eating behaviour over time is lacking. The COVORTS cohort included 76 patients with recent (<3 months) COVID-19 infection and persistent self-reported smell dysfunction (>1 month). For one year, patients completed monthly questionnaires on quality of life impairment, appetite and hunger ratings, as well as self-reported and self-assessed chemosensory dysfunction. Psychophysical testing of olfactory and gustatory functioning was performed every 3 months. Our results revealed that quality of life, appetite, and hunger ratings all slowly but significantly improved by around 10 % after the one-year follow-up. Dysfunction in all chemosensory modalities (i.e., olfaction, gustation, and trigeminal sensations) was significantly associated with quality of life, appetite and hunger ratings. Self-reported and self-assessed measures of chemosensory dysfunction were more frequently significantly associated with quality of life, appetite and hunger ratings compared to psychophysical measures, especially at the baseline measurement. Patients who presented with low quality of life, appetite or hunger ratings at baseline were likely to still have low ratings at one-year follow-up, regardless of the type of chemosensory dysfunction they experienced. These results highlight that, although patients seem to slowly improve in quality of life, appetite and hunger ratings, there is a need for psychological counselling for patients struggling early on in symptom progression.