Michael Oberle

Bio: Michael Oberle is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dysgeusia & Coronavirus. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 4 publications receiving 193 citations.

Olfactory Dysfunction and Sinonasal Symptomatology in COVID-19: Prevalence, Severity, Timing, and Associated Characteristics.

Abstract: ObjectiveOlfactory dysfunction (OD)—hyposmia or anosmia—is a symptom of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-C...

Mood, Anxiety and Olfactory Dysfunction in COVID-19: Evidence of Central Nervous System Involvement?

Abstract: OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the burden of depressed mood and anxiety in COVID-19, and associated disease characteristics MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective, cross-sectional study of 114 COVID-19 positive patients diagnosed using RT-PCR-based testing over a 6-week period The two-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and the two-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-2) were used to measure depressed mood and anxiety level, respectively, at enrollment and for participants' baseline, pre-COVID-19 state Severity of smell loss, loss of taste, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea/mucus production, fever, cough, and shortness of breath (SOB) during COVID-19 were assessed RESULTS PHQ-2 and GAD-2 significantly (P < 001) increased from baseline to enrollment PHQ-2 was associated with smell loss (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] = 140, 95% CI, 110-178, P = 006), age (aIRR = 102, 95% CI, 101-104, P = 006), and baseline PHQ-2 score (aIRR = 139, 95% CI, 109-176, P = 007) GAD-2 score was associated with smell loss (aIRR = 129, 95% CI, 102-162, P = 035), age (aIRR = 102, 95% CI, 101-104, P = 025) and baseline GAD-2 score (aIRR = 155, 95% CI, 124-193, P < 001) Loss of taste also exhibited similar associations with PHQ-2 and GAD-2 PHQ-2 and GAD-2 scores were not associated with severities of any other symptoms during the COVID-19 course CONCLUSIONS Despite the occurrence of symptoms-such as SOB-associated with severe manifestations of COVID-19, only the severities of smell and taste loss were associated with depressed mood and anxiety These results may raise the novel possibility of emotional disturbance as a CNS manifestation of COVID-19 given trans-olfactory tract penetration of the central nervous system (CNS) by coronaviruses LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 130:2520-2525, 2020

Objective gustatory and olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a prospective cross-sectional study.

Abstract: To determine the prevalence of objective gustatory (GD) and olfactory (OD) dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. This is a prospective, cross-sectional study of 51 COVID-19 positive patients diagnosed using RT-PCR-based testing. Of these study participants, 41 reported having present GD and OD at the time of enrollment and ten patients were without symptomatic OD and GD. All participants were objectively tested for OD by Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) and for GD by Burghart taste strip test, which were mailed to the participants. The subjective presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms of smell loss, loss of taste, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea/mucus production, fever, cough and shortness of breath were also assessed. Of the 41 patients with GD and OD, only 25.6% (10/39; p ≤ 0.0001) objectively presented GD and 39.1% (16/41; p ≤ 0.0001) OD at the time of their subjective dysfunction. Regarding GD, 23.1% (9/39) suffered from total hypogeusia, 2.6% (1/39) from ageusia. A significant loss of sour (33.3% (13/39)) and salty taste (17.9% (7/39)) could be recognized. Only 10.3% (4/39) showed a reduction in sweet and bitter taste. Concerning OD, 9.8% (4/41) showed a deficit relative to younger age in the BSIT and 29.3% (12/41) results abnormal relative to age. Subjective and objective findings in GD and OD differ significantly. Most patients suffering from objective dysgeusia present a deficit in sour and salty taste. DRKS00021516; 22/04/2020.

Time scale for resolution of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19.

Abstract: By now, the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is widely recognized around the world as a pandemic that has infected millions and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands (1). Despite months of mitigation strategies, COVID-19 continues to spread and ascertainment of new knowledge about the disease process continues to be a priority of the medical community. Originally described by characteristic symptoms of fever, cough and/or shortness of breath that can rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome, it has become clear that COVID-19 has manifold clinical presentations (2-4). Notably, olfactory dysfunction (OD) "decreased sense of smell" has been reported to occur in up to 85.6% of COVID-19 patients (2,5).

Organ-specific manifestations of COVID-19 infection.

Abstract: Although COVID-19 presents primarily as a lower respiratory tract infection transmitted via air droplets, increasing data suggest multiorgan involvement in patients that are infected. This systemic involvement is postulated to be mainly related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus binding on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors located on several different human cells. Lung involvement is the most common serious manifestation of the disease, ranging from asymptomatic disease or mild pneumonia, to severe disease associated with hypoxia, critical disease associated with shock, respiratory failure and multiorgan failure or death. Among patients with COVID-19, underlying cardiovascular comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes and especially cardiovascular disease, has been associated with adverse outcomes, whereas the emergence of cardiovascular complications, including myocardial injury, heart failure and arrhythmias, has been associated with poor survival. Gastrointestinal symptoms are also frequently encountered and may persist for several days. Haematological complications are frequent as well and have been associated with poor prognosis. Furthermore, recent studies have reported that over a third of infected patients develop a broad spectrum of neurological symptoms affecting the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and skeletal muscles, including anosmia and ageusia. The skin, the kidneys, the liver, the endocrine organs and the eyes are also affected by the systemic COVID-19 disease. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the organ-specific systemic manifestations of COVID-19.

Prevalence of Chemosensory Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Reveals Significant Ethnic Differences.

Abstract: A significant proportion of people who test positive for COVID-19 have chemosensory deficits. However, the reported prevalence of these deficits in smell and taste varies widely, and the reason for...

Prevalence and 6-month recovery of olfactory dysfunction: a multicentre study of 1363 COVID-19 patients.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate prevalence and recovery of olfactory dysfunction (OD) in COVID-19 patients according to the disease severity. METHODS: From 22 March to 3 June 2020, 2581 COVID-19 patients were identified from 18 European hospitals. Epidemiological and clinical data were extracted at baseline and within the 2-month post-infection. RESULTS: The prevalence of OD was significantly higher in mild form (85.9%) compared with moderate-to-critical forms (4.5-6.9%; P = 0.001). Of the 1916 patients with OD, 1363 completed the evaluations (71.1%). A total of 328 patients (24.1%) did not subjectively recover olfaction 60 days after the onset of the dysfunction. The mean duration of self-reported OD was 21.6 ± 17.9 days. Objective olfactory evaluations identified hyposmia/anosmia in 54.7% and 36.6% of mild and moderate-to-critical forms, respectively (P = 0.001). At 60 days and 6 months, 15.3% and 4.7% of anosmic/hyposmic patients did not objectively recover olfaction, respectively. The higher baseline severity of objective olfactory evaluations was strongly predictive of persistent OD (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: OD is more prevalent in mild COVID-19 forms than in moderate-to-critical forms. OD disappeared in 95% of patients regarding objective olfactory evaluations at 6 months.

Neurological manifestations of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of proportions.

Abstract: Coronaviruses mainly affect the respiratory system; however, there are reports of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV causing neurological manifestations. We aimed at discussing the various neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to estimate the prevalence of each of them. We searched the following electronic databases; PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, WHO database, and ClinicalTrials.gov . Relevant MeSH terms for COVID-19 and neurological manifestations were used. Randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports were included in the study. To estimate the overall proportion of each neurological manifestations, the study employed meta-analysis of proportions using a random-effects model. Pooled prevalence of each neurological manifestations are, smell disturbances (35.8%; 95% CI 21.4–50.2), taste disturbances (38.5%; 95%CI 24.0–53.0), myalgia (19.3%; 95% CI 15.1–23.6), headache (14.7%; 95% CI 10.4–18.9), dizziness (6.1%; 95% CI 3.1–9.2), and syncope (1.8%; 95% CI 0.9–4.6). Pooled prevalence of acute cerebrovascular disease was (2.3%; 95%CI 1.0–3.6), of which majority were ischaemic stroke (2.1%; 95% CI 0.9–3.3), followed by haemorrhagic stroke (0.4%; 95% CI 0.2–0.6), and cerebral venous thrombosis (0.3%; 95% CI 0.1–0.6). Neurological symptoms are common in SARS-CoV-2 infection, and from the large number of cases reported from all over the world daily, the prevalence of neurological features might increase again. Identifying some neurological manifestations like smell and taste disturbances can be used to screen patients with COVID-19 so that early identification and isolation is possible.

Prevalence of Olfactory Dysfunction in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Meta-analysis of 27,492 Patients.

Abstract: Objectives/hypothesis Olfactory dysfunction has been observed as one of the clinical manifestations in COVID-19 patients. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the overall pooled prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Study design Systematic review and meta-analyses. Methods PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify studies published between 1 December 2019 and 23 July 2020. We used random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic and Cochran's Q test. Robustness of the pooled estimates was checked by different subgroup and sensitivity analyses This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183768). Results We identified 1162 studies, of which 83 studies (n = 27492, 61.4% female) were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the pooled prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients was 47.85% [95% CI: 41.20-54.50]. We observed olfactory dysfunction in 54.40% European, 51.11% North American, 31.39% Asian, and 10.71% Australian COVID-19 patients. Anosmia, hyposmia, and dysosmia were observed in 35.39%, 36.15%, and 2.53% of the patients, respectively. There were discrepancies in the results of studies with objective (higher prevalence) versus subjective (lower prevalence) evaluations. The discrepancy might be due to false-negative reporting observed in self-reported health measures. Conclusions The prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients was found to be 47.85% based on high-quality evidence. Due to the subjective measures of most studies pooled in the analysis, further studies with objective measures are advocated to confirm the finding. Level of evidence 2 Laryngoscope, 131:865-878, 2021.