Abstract:

Objective: Although corona virus disseminates by aerosol or droplet and colonizes in nasal cavity and nasopharynx, symptoms related to upper respiratory tract are uncommon in coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19). In this report we aimed to classify the patients applying to COVID-19 outpatient clinics according to ear-nose-throat (ENT) specific and COVID-19 specific symptoms and to compare these patients’ prognosis. Material and Methods: Sixty-five patients with COVID-19 were included to the study. The patients were classified according to their presenting symptoms. The symptom categories were COVID- 19 specific (Group 1) and Covid-19+ENT specific (Group 2) symptoms. As specific symptoms of COVID-19; fever, cough, headache, myalgia and dyspnea were assumed. Mild ENT symptoms were also included to this group. As otolaryngology- specific symptoms; dysfunction in smell, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, postnasal drip, sore throat, dysphagia, dysphonia, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness/vertigo and aural fullness were considered. C-reactive protein, leukocyte, lymphocyte, platelet levels in peripheral blood, and oxygen saturation levels were also recorded. The symptom scores were analyzed by visual analog scale scoring system. Results: The most common presenting symptom of the patients in Group 1 was fever followed by constitutional symptoms and cough, whereas the most common presenting symptom in Group 2 was constitutional followed by myalgia and fever. Olfactory dysfunction was prevalent in the patients in Group 2 with a significant difference. Average nasal symptom scores of the patients in Group 2 were; none: 3, mild: 0, moderate: 25, severe: 12 and the difference was statistically significant. Oral cavity/oropharynx symptoms were again more prevalent in Group 2. The average ear symptom scores of the patients among groups did not differ significantly. Fourteen of the patients in Group 1 had better prognosis and 15 had worse outcome. In Group 2 better prognosis was seen in 25 patients and worse prognosis was detected in 11 patients. Conclusion: The evaluation of the parameters concluded that although the patients with ENT predominant symptoms were doing better than the patients with more systemic symptoms, the difference was not statistically significant.

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