Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36935919›Full record

ArticlePeerJ2023

Wearing N95 masks decreases the odor discrimination ability of healthcare workers: a self-controlled before-after study.

Guanguan Luo, Xingnan Zou, Xianlong Zhou, Jiaohong Gan, Cheng Jiang, Zhigang Zhao, Yan Zhao

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In one paragraph

Article in PeerJ, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Guanguan Luo *Emergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.
Xingnan Zou *Emergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.
Xianlong ZhouEmergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.
Jiaohong GanEmergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.
Cheng JiangEmergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.
Zhigang ZhaoEmergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.
Yan ZhaoEmergency Department, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, Hubei, Wuhan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the N95 mask is an essential piece of protective equipment for healthcare workers. However, the N95 mask may inhibit air exchange and odor penetration. Our study aimed to determine whether the use of N95 masks affects the odor discrimination ability of healthcare workers. Methods: In our study, all the participants were asked to complete three olfactory tests. Each test involved 12 different odors. The participants completed the test while wearing an N95 mask, a surgical mask, and no mask. The score for each olfactory test was documented. Results: The olfactory test score was significantly lower when the participants wore N95 masks than when they did not wear a mask (7 Conclusion: Wearing N95 masks decreases the odor discrimination ability of healthcare workers. Therefore, we suggest that healthcare workers seek other clues when diagnosing disease with a characteristic odor.

Indexed as

COVID-19Respiratory Protective DevicesControlled Before-After StudiesHealth PersonnelHumansN95 RespiratorsOdorantsSARS-CoV-2Healthcare workerN95 maskOdor discriminationOlfactory test

Identifiers

PMID36935919
PMCPMC10022507

What Socratic holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
measurements read18
identifiers read10
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.