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A S Kulkarni

Jagjivan Ram Hospital, India

Title: ENT manifestations ff Covid - 19 in a dedicated Covid hospital: Prospective observational study

Abstract

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is global challenge to public health. The study investigates all possible manifestations and their prevalence pertaining to ENT in COVID-19 in our cohort. 

Methodology: Admitted laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 positive patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be randomly selected for a cross-sectional observational study. On the day of admission, various ENT symptoms are assessed and patients were prospectively studied by detailed ENT examination by using specific and measurable parameters like smell and taste sensation, vertigo, swallowing, voice, and hearing, using scoring scales. The patients were followed up on day 1, 3 and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. 

Results: There were 308 number of patients, 211(68.5%) were of male gender while 97(31.5%) number of patients were of female gender. In our cohort 256(83.1%) patients were of mild severity and 52(16.9%) patients were of moderate severity of COVID 19. 269(87.34%) patients had ENT manifestations and 39 (12.66%) had non-ENT manifestations. Most of these patients were having occult ENT manifestations, 263(97.77%). Association of ENT manifestations with COVID 19 severity is significant with a p value of 0.001. Greater the COVID 19 severity, greater was the ENT manifestations except for sore throat and vertigo. The prevalence of loss of taste was in 250 (81.97%) which was the highest amongst all other occult symptoms. A colour coded check list has been proposed considering the COVID 19 severity and frequency of ENT manifestation. 

Conclusion: Based on our study results, it implies that the overall prevalence of ENT manifestations in COVID 19 in our cohort is very high upwards of 87.3 % (269 patients in 308) and most of these patients were having occult ENT manifestations 263(97.77%) where in the patients themselves have not come with these chief complaints but on detailed enquiry and examination these manifestations have been detected. Hence it is prudent to include these symptoms in routine history taking and examination screening in fever clinic and at triage sites for early detection and appropriate COVID 19 directed treatments. The frequency of ENT manifestations in order of occurrence in mild COVID 19 cases were loss of taste 207(80.86%), loss of smell 142(55.47%), change of voice 32(12.50%), vertigo 17(6.64%), hearing deficit 1 (0.39%). The frequency of ENT manifestations in order of occurrence in moderate COVID 19 cases were loss of taste 46(88.46%), loss of smell 36(69.23%), swallowing difficulty 
18(34.62%), hearing deficit 9(17.3%), change of voice 7(13.46%), vertigo 5(9.62%). 

Biography

Anuja Kulkarni, is an otolaryngoloist with specialized in the field of Head and neck surgical oncology and plastic microvascular surgery serving Western Railway zonal hospital with over 15 
years of professional standing, nominated for committee for “Development of Advocacy and Training Kits and Simplified Coding Manual for Family of International Classifications (FIC), constituted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, instrumental in spearheading anti- tobacco campaigns and cancer awareness campaigns among patients and hospital staff, having over dozen publications in the journals of national and international repute. She has initiated DNB Post graduate teaching course accredited by National board of Examinations, New Delhi, for specialty of ENT for the very first time in the Jagjivan Ram Railway Hospital and working at present as DNB course director ENT, academic head, post graduate teacher and PG thesis guide. She has so far undertaken numerous seminars, journal club meetings, lectures, demo sessions for post graduate teaching with involvement of eminent faculty members.