The diagnostic value of detecting sudden smell loss among asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in early stage: The possible early sign of COVID-19.

IMPORTANCE: The newly emerged coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), is threatening the world. Olfactory or gustatory dysfunction is reported as one of the symptoms worldwide. As reported so far, different clinical features have been reported according to outbreak sites and gender; most of the patients, who complained of anosmia or hyposmia, were Europeans. We had a fast review for novel articles about COVID-19 infection and olfactory function.

OBSERVATIONS: Rapid reviews for COVID-19 or other viral infection and olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunctions were done in this review. Up to date, a lot of reports have shown that olfactory dysfunction is related to viral infections but no exact mechanism, clinical course, and definite treatment have been discovered, which is also same in COVID-19. In general, intranasal steroid (INS) and oral steroid for short time help improve the recovery of the olfactory function in case of olfactory dysfunction after virus infection. Considering severe respiratory complications and immunocompromised state of COVID-19, the use of steroid should be limited and cautious because we do not have enough data to support the usage of steroid to treat olfactory dysfunction in the clinical course of COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In the days of pandemic COVID-19, we should keep in mind that olfactory dysfunctions, even without other upper respiratory infection or otolaryngologic symptoms, might be the early signs of COVID-19.