Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38544584›Full record

ArticleCureus2024

Recovery of Smell and Taste in Patients With Persistent COVID-19-Related Hyposmia and Dysgeusia by Targeting Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction.

Maurizio G Vento, Caterina Marinelli, Luciano Ferrari, Giuseppe Pedrazzi

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 46% of its field
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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Maurizio G VentoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Fidenza Hospital, Parma, ITA.
Caterina MarinelliDepartment of Otolaryngology, Fidenza Hospital, Parma, ITA.
Luciano FerrariDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, ITA.
Giuseppe PedrazziDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, ITA.
Azienda Unita' Sanitaria Locale di Parma · ITUniversity of Parma · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose New-onset loss of olfaction and/or taste is now recognized among the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19. In most patients, these symptoms resolve completely and spontaneously within days. However, some patients experience persistent olfactory and gustatory dysfunction after COVID-19 resolution. We evaluated the efficacy of a treatment combining several therapeutic agents to target inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in patients with persistent hyposmia and dysgeusia. Methods This 12-month observational pilot study involved patients presenting with symptoms of hyposmia and dysgeusia 30 days after COVID-19 had subsided. The main objective was to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of systemic corticosteroids, a glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-based antithrombotic (mesoglycan), a diuretic, and a vitamin complex. The perceived extent of olfaction and taste impairment was assessed using an 11-point visual analog scale (VAS), where 0 = complete loss of olfaction/taste and 10 = complete recovery of olfaction/taste. Results Eighty-seven patients with post-COVID-19 hyposmia and dysgeusia were enrolled. At treatment start (T0), the mean VAS scores were 2.0 and 3.2 for olfactory and gustatory functions, respectively. Both functions appeared to improve progressively and significantly from T0 to 12 months. A shorter time between viral infection and the start of treatment was associated with a more pronounced recovery of both senses. Conclusions Combined systemic corticosteroid, GAG-based antithrombotic agent (mesoglycan), and diuretic may constitute an option for treating persistent hyposmia and dysgeusia associated with COVID-19. To ensure optimal recovery, early treatment start is recommended. The described treatment protocol deserves to be further evaluated.

Indexed as

ageusiaanosmiacoronaviruscovid-19post-covid-19 conditionsars-cov-2

Identifiers

PMID38544584
PMCPMC10966633
OpenAlexW4392163708

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.