Validation of a self-administered olfactory and gustatory test for the remotely evaluation of COVID-19 patients in home quarantine

Abstract

Background: Chemosensitive disorders are very frequent in the early stages of COVID-19 and in paucisymptomatic cases. These patients are typically placed in home quarantine. This study has the aim of validating a new olfactory and gustatory objective evaluation test in these patients. Methods: Thirty-three home-quarantined COVID-19 patients have undergone a self-administered chemosensitive test the day before the control swab. On this occasion, the patients underwent operator-administered already validated tests. The results were finally compared. Results: The differences between the results of the two tests were not significant for both the olfaction (P =.201) and the taste (P =.180). Conclusion: The olfactory and gustatory evaluation by self-administered test can be considered a valid tool, fundamental for obtaining objective qualitative and quantitative data on the extent of chemosensitive disorders in home-quarantined COVID-19 patients.