It is a randomized controlled clinical trial study that aims to follow a sample of individuals with persistent olfactory dysfunction post-COVID-19. The aim of this study is assess the clinical outcomes of olfactory training therapy in the treatment of persistent olfactory dysfunctions after COVID-19. The sample will consist of 350 participants, being 300 individuals with persistent olfactory dysfunction post-COVID-19 and 50 healthy individuals. Volunteers' will be separated in two experimental groups (1 and 2 ) and a control group. All participants will be submitted to clinical evaluation that include the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Test (CCCRT), an olfactory test to diagnose anosmia and hyposmia, and two skull Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI). Only participants of Experimental group 1 will be submitted to an olfactory training with essences oils. Experimental group 2 will only receive a clinical follow-up after three months and control group will be only submitted to neurological exam, olfactory test, MRI imaging and test their ability to discriminate the essence oils used in olfactory training. As a result, is expected a better understanding of the characteristics of olfactory dysfunction caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infection, as well as the effectiveness and viability of using Olfactory Training as a therapeutic alternative.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
350
Consists in olfactory training using essence oils
Unidade de Ensino E Assistência Em Fisioterapia E Terapia Ocupacional
Belém, Pará, Brazil
To Assess the effectiveness of olfactory training therapy in the treatment of persistent olfactory dysfunctions after COVID-19
The individuals of Experimental group 1 will be submitted to a olfactory training with essence oils, the participants will be reassessed with Olfactory test CCCRT monthly and this results will be compared with the reassessment results of the Experimental group 2 (no intervention group). The results of CCCRT of these two groups will be compared with Control group. The CCCRT olfactory test consists of n-butanol smell threshold test and smell identification test. Olfactory function score will be assessed (0: worst score; 7: best score).
Time frame: 4 years
To Investigate by means of skull nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI) exams for possible neural correlates of olfactory dysfunctions present in post-COVID-19 patients
MRI imaging of olfactory bulb will be assessed in the individuals of this study, for better understanding of possible lesions at neural sites
Time frame: 4 years
To Measure by means of a standardized olfactory test the olfactory dysfunctions present in post-COVID-19 patients
CCCRT will be used to classify individuals as having normosmia, hyposmia or anosmia
Time frame: 4 years
Propose an olfactory training protocol appropriate to the demands of patients with post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction and in accordance with the reality of Brazilian public health services
The olfactory training using essence oils will be tested in this study as a low cost alternative for therapeutics
Time frame: 4 years
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