Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative taste alterations in COVID-19

Authors

  • Angela Pia Cazzolla Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Foggia, Foggia, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0842-7351
  • Roberto Lovero Clinical Pathology Unit, AOU Policlinico Consorziale di Bari - Ospedale Giovanni XXIII, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7580-5733
  • Francesca Spirito Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Foggia, Foggia, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8364-2425
  • Michele Di Cosola Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Foggia, Foggia, Italy
  • Luigi Santacroce Ionian Department (DJSGEM), Microbiology and Virology Lab, Università Degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5671-8124
  • Eleonora Lo Muzio Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, School of Orthodontics, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3588-1034
  • Domenico Ciavarella Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Foggia, Foggia, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3114-6048
  • Mario Dioguardi Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari, Bari, Italy
  • Vito Crincoli Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, "Aldo Moro" University of Bari, Bari, Italy
  • Maria Pepe Transfusional Medicine Unit, University-Policlinico, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1127-8967
  • Lucia Varraso Clinical Pathology Unit, AOU Policlinico Consorziale di Bari - Ospedale Giovanni XXIII, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8292-923X
  • Renato Contino Clinical Pathology Unit, AOU Policlinico Consorziale di Bari - Ospedale Giovanni XXIII, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7538-3219
  • Francesca Di Serio Clinical Pathology Unit, AOU Policlinico Consorziale di Bari - Ospedale Giovanni XXIII, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6089-1165
  • Lorenzo Lo Muzio Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Foggia, Foggia, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Bio-Oncologia (C.I.N.B.O), Chieti, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4633-4893

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2022.6973

Keywords:

COVID-19, taste dysfunction, dysgeusia

Abstract

A large percentage of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have taste dysfunction. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in mild and moderate COVID-19 patients with the type (quantitative or qualitative) of taste disorders were compared in this observational study. The 208 COVID-19 patients (118 men and 90 women) revealing only taste dysfunctions as prodromic symptoms were classified as mild and moderate patients. Survey results were used to evaluate the taste disorder. The IL-6 levels were measured using a chemiluminescence assay. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon rank, Welch’s, and Mann–Whitney tests. The findings revealed that neither the presence of dysgeusia or phantogeusia nor the perception of sour and salty, differed statistically significantly between moderate and mild patients (P > 0.05). But between moderate and mild patients, there were statistically significant differences in how umami, bitter, sweet, and parageusia were perceived (< 0.05). There was an impairment of multiple tastes up to ageusia in patients with high IL-6 levels. The findings demonstrated that parageusia and dysfunctions in umami, bitter, and sweet taste perception can be indicators of more severe forms of COVID-19.

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Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative taste alterations in COVID-19

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Published

16-03-2023

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New and Emerging Medical Entities

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How to Cite

1.
Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative taste alterations in COVID-19. Biomol Biomed [Internet]. 2023 Mar. 16 [cited 2024 Oct. 7];23(2):344–350. Available from: https://www.bjbms.org/ojs/index.php/bjbms/article/view/6973