New loss of smell and taste: Uncommon symptoms in COVID-19 patients in Nord Franche-Comte cluster, France

Background: New loss of smell or taste was not included among the common symptoms of COVID-19 until March 2020 when the pandemic started in Western countries. We aim to describe the prevalence and features of anosmia and dysgeusia in COVID-19 patients. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the clinical features of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, Trevenans, France, between March, 1st and March, 14th 2020. We used SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR in respiratory samples to confirm the cases. Results: Of the 70 patients enrolled, the mean age was 57.0 years, and 29 patients (41%) were men. Median Charlson comorbidity index was 1.70 (±2.5). Twenty-seven (39%) patients had pneumonia. Fatigue (93%[65]), cough (80%[55]), and fever (77%[54]) were the three main symptoms. Neurologic symptoms were present in more than half of the patients: anosmia (53%[37]) and dysgeusia (48%[34]). The mean duration of anosmia was 7.4 (±5, [1–21]) days, and 51% (36/70) of patients recovered before 28 days of evolution. Only one patient with anosmia had not recovered at the end of the follow-up. Patients with anosmia had pneumonia less often (10/37 vs 17/33, p = 0.036), were hospitalized less often (13/37 vs 20/33, p = 0.033), and needed oxygen therapy less often (6/37 vs 17/33, p = 0.002) than patients without anosmia. There were no statistically significant differences for viral load between patients with anosmia and patients without anosmia (5.5 [2.0−8.6] vs 5.3 [2.1−8.5] log copies/mL respectively, p = 0.670). The fatality of COVID-19 in our study was 6%, with four deaths. Conclusions: Anosmia and dysgeusia are present in half of COVID-19 patients. The mean duration of anosmia was 7 days, and the outcome seems favorable in less than 28 days.