Comparative Study between Use of Intranasal Steroids with Olfactory Training in Comparison to Olfactory Training Only in Treatment of Post-COVID Smell Dysfunction (Anosmia)

Background: The smell sense is primarily connected to taste perception, avoidance behavior, and the reaction to warning signals from dangerous compounds. A viral upper airway infection may result in anosmia that is persistent. Nearly 20% of instances of anosmia are caused by viral infections. Aim and objectives: to assess the effectiveness of olfactory training alone vs topical corticosteroid nasal spray (mometasone furoate nasal spray) with olfactory training in treating anosmia in individuals who have recovered from COVID_19 infection.
Subjects and methods: This study was conducted in El-Minia Health Insurance Hospital, which was an isolation hospital for COVID-19 only, in the period between 1/1/2022 to 31/12/2022 and included 50 patients, aged 18 to 70, including 28 males and 22 females, they were divided into 2 groups each of them contained 25 patients: group (A) 25 patients received olfactory training and intranasal steroids and group (B) 25 patients were solely given olfactory training.
Results: There was no statistical substantial variation between the groups as regard patient characteristics, infection characteristics and terms of smell scores pre-treatment, at 1 week (wk), 2 wks, and 3 wks follow-up (Independent sample t test, P > .05). Conclusion: Mometasone furoate nasal spray had no advantages over olfactory training as a topical corticosteroid therapy for the management of post-COVID-19 anosmia. There was no superiority in this topical corticosteroid nasal spray. According to our findings, olfactory training may be recommended for anosmia in individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 infection since there is currently no strong data supporting the usage of topical corticosteroids in the management of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction.