Assessing the prevalence of anosmia and taste dysfunction in COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES

Patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) frequently report olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions, including anosmia and ageusia. Multiple studies have assessed the prevalence of these symptoms in COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of anosmia and taste dysfunction in confirmed COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings, from March 2020 to March 2023.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. No review protocol was prospectively registered prior to this review. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar (supplementary) from 1 March 2020 to 1 March 2023. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. The methodological quality of included studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools for prevalence studies.

RESULTS

Of 230 records identified across all databases, 156 remained after deduplication; 24 met the eligibility criteria, encompassing 26,068 COVID-19 patients (58.2% female). The pooled prevalence of anosmia was 44% (95% CI: 37-52%) and of taste dysfunction was 46% (95% CI: 39-54%). Subgroup analyses comparing validated versus non-validated assessment instruments revealed no statistically significant difference in prevalence estimates.

CONCLUSION

Anosmia and taste loss are common manifestations of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. The findings should be interpreted with caution given the methodological heterogeneity of included studies, reliance on self-reported measures in the majority of studies, and the absence of a prospectively registered protocol. Future studies using objective validated instruments are warranted.