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      Self-reported and clinically identified loss of smell and taste among persons tested for COVID-19 in Chennai, southern India, july–august 2020: A cross sectional study

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          Abstract

          Background

          Early detection of symptoms of loss of smell and taste lately added for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has the potential for improving pandemic response. In the Indian context, we compared proportion experiencing new loss of smell or taste among COVID-19 positive and negative individuals in Chennai city, Southern India.

          Methods

          We did an analytical cross-sectional study among aged 18–80 years undergoing testing at COVID-19 sample collection centres. We ascertained loss of smell and taste using standardised self-reporting and clinical examination procedures. We administered Sino Nasal Outcome (SNOT 22) questionnaire for comprehensive understanding of these symptoms. We compared proportion having symptoms between COVID-19 positive and negative persons. We compared the two assessment methods to compute diagnostic validity indicators.

          Results

          Of the 277 participants, 169 (61%) were men and mean age of 40.7 years [SD = 13.3]. 58 (21%) had COVID-19 and 12 (36%) of them were asymptomatic. Predominantly reported symptoms were fever (30%), headache (18%) and cough (18%). Self-reported or clinically identified new loss of smell or taste was higher among COVID-19 positive (n = 13; 22%) than negative persons (n = 23; 11%) [p = 0.02]. Sensitivity was higher for self-reported or clinically identified loss of smell (17.2%) than that of loss of taste (6.9%). Negative predictive value for loss of smell or taste, self-reported or clinically identified was 81%. Likelihood ratio of positive test was 2.13.

          Conclusion

          Loss of smell or taste are predominantly reported by COVID-19 confirmed individuals. Objective and subjective assessments of smell and taste may be required to identify those requiring COVID-19 testing.

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          Most cited references39

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          Variation in False-Negative Rate of Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction–Based SARS-CoV-2 Tests by Time Since Exposure

          Background: Tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) based on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) are being used to “rule out” infection among high-risk persons, such as exposed inpatients and health care workers. It is critical to understand how the predictive value of the test varies with time from exposure and symptom onset to avoid being falsely reassured by negative test results. Objective: To estimate the false-negative rate by day since infection. Design: Literature review and pooled analysis. Setting: 7 previously published studies providing data on RT-PCR performance by time since symptom onset or SARS-CoV-2 exposure using samples from the upper respiratory tract (n = 1330). Patients: A mix of inpatients and outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Measurements: A Bayesian hierarchical model was fitted to estimate the false-negative rate by day since exposure and symptom onset. Results: Over the 4 days of infection before the typical time of symptom onset (day 5), the probability of a false-negative result in an infected person decreases from 100% (95% CI, 100% to 100%) on day 1 to 67% (CI, 27% to 94%) on day 4. On the day of symptom onset, the median false-negative rate was 38% (CI, 18% to 65%). This decreased to 20% (CI, 12% to 30%) on day 8 (3 days after symptom onset) then began to increase again, from 21% (CI, 13% to 31%) on day 9 to 66% (CI, 54% to 77%) on day 21. Limitation: Imprecise estimates due to heterogeneity in the design of studies on which results were based. Conclusion: Care must be taken in interpreting RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection—particularly early in the course of infection—when using these results as a basis for removing precautions intended to prevent onward transmission. If clinical suspicion is high, infection should not be ruled out on the basis of RT-PCR alone, and the clinical and epidemiologic situation should be carefully considered. Primary Funding Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Health System, and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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            Real-time tracking of self-reported symptoms to predict potential COVID-19

            A total of 2,618,862 participants reported their potential symptoms of COVID-19 on a smartphone-based app. Among the 18,401 who had undergone a SARS-CoV-2 test, the proportion of participants who reported loss of smell and taste was higher in those with a positive test result (4,668 of 7,178 individuals; 65.03%) than in those with a negative test result (2,436 of 11,223 participants; 21.71%) (odds ratio = 6.74; 95% confidence interval = 6.31–7.21). A model combining symptoms to predict probable infection was applied to the data from all app users who reported symptoms (805,753) and predicted that 140,312 (17.42%) participants are likely to have COVID-19.
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              Manifestations and prognosis of gastrointestinal and liver involvement in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

              Summary Background The prevalence and prognosis of digestive system involvement, including gastrointestinal symptoms and liver injury, in patients with COVID-19 remains largely unknown. We aimed to quantify the effects of COVID-19 on the digestive system. Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published between Jan 1, 2020, and April 4, 2020. The websites of WHO, CDC, and major journals were also searched. We included studies that reported the epidemiological and clinical features of COVID-19 and the prevalence of gastrointestinal findings in infected patients, and excluded preprints, duplicate publications, reviews, editorials, single case reports, studies pertaining to other coronavirus-related illnesses, and small case series (<10 cases). Extracted data included author; date; study design; country; patient demographics; number of participants in severe and non-severe disease groups; prevalence of clinical gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and belching; and digestive system comorbidities including liver disease and gastrointestinal diseases. Raw data from studies were pooled to determine effect estimates. Findings We analysed findings from 35 studies, including 6686 patients with COVID-19, that met inclusion criteria. 29 studies (n=6064) reported gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with COVID-19 at diagnosis, and the pooled prevalence of digestive system comorbidities was 4% (95% CI 2–5; range 0–15; I 2=74%). The pooled prevalence of digestive symptoms was 15% (10–21; range: 2–57; I 2=96%) with nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite being the three most common symptoms. The pooled prevalence of abnormal liver functions (12 studies, n=1267) was 19% (9–32; range 1–53; I 2=96%). Subgroup analysis showed patients with severe COVID-19 had higher rates of gastrointestinal symptoms (odds ratio [OR] 1·60 [95% CI 1·09–2·36]; p=0·0020; I 2=44%) and liver injury (2·20 [1·60–3·02]; p<0·00001; I 2=36%) compared with those with non-severe disease. Patients in Hubei province, where the initial COVID-19 outbreak occurred, were more likely to present with abnormal liver functions (p<0·0001) compared with those outside of Hubei. Paediatric patients with COVID-19 had a similar prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms to those of adult patients. 10% (95% CI 4–19; range 3–23; I 2=97%) of patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms alone without respiratory features. Patients who presented with gastrointestinal system involvement had delayed diagnosis (standardised mean difference 2·85 [95% CI 0·22–5·48]; p=0·030; I 2=73%). Patients with gastrointestinal involvement had a higher prevalence of complication (OR 2·51 [95% CI 1·62–3·89]; p<0·0001; I 2=0%). Interpretation Our study showed that digestive symptoms and liver injury are not uncommon in patients with COVID-19. Increased attention should be paid to the care of this unique group of patients. Funding None.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Clin Epidemiol Glob Health
                Clin Epidemiol Glob Health
                Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
                Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of INDIACLEN.
                2452-0918
                2213-3984
                13 March 2021
                13 March 2021
                : 100718
                Affiliations
                [a ]ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
                [b ]Dr.Mehta's Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
                [c ]Division of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
                Author notes
                []Corresponding author. ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, R 127, TNHB, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 077, India.
                Article
                S2213-3984(21)00022-1 100718
                10.1016/j.cegh.2021.100718
                7955804
                33754133
                b9de06c7-6d5f-465a-9320-7c40723e9e20
                © 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of INDIACLEN.

                Since January 2020 Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre - including this research content - immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.

                History
                : 29 December 2020
                : 3 March 2021
                : 8 March 2021
                Categories
                Original Article

                anosmia,dysgeusia,gustation,olfaction,snot
                anosmia, dysgeusia, gustation, olfaction, snot

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