Study Design and Participants
This cross-sectional study was conducted in Qatif area, Saudi Arabia,
during the period between May and July, 2020. Majority of our patients
were severe cases hospitalized in Qatif central hospital wards, with
positive results on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR) testing of COVID 19. Patients considered mild to moderate
COVID-19, when there was no O2 requirements, no evidence of pneumonia
but with other symptoms of covid19 e.g. fever. While Severe cases
defined as the presence of ≥ 1 of the following symptoms: Respiratory
rate ≥30/min (adults), blood oxygen saturation ≤93%, PaO2/FiO2 ratio
< 300, lung infiltrates >50% of the lung field
within 24–48 hours.12
Our inclusion criteria included all confirmed COVID-19 patients (Saudi
and nonSaudi), both male and female, and adults aged 18 years or above.
Participants who had history of olfactory dysfunction, their age were
below 18 years and critical COVID-19 pneumonia required intensive care
unit admission were also excluded.