Visual-OLfactory Training in Participants With COVID-19 Resultant Loss of Smell
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Anosmia, Covid19, Ageusia, Hyposmia, Hypogeusia, SARS-CoV-2 Infection, COVID-19 Pandemic
In brief
Olfactory dysfunction is a defining symptom of COVID-19 infection. As the number of total, confirmed COVID-19 cases approached 19 million in the United States, it is estimated that there will be 250,000 to 500,000 new cases of chronically diminished smell (hyposmia) and loss of smell (anosmia) this year. Olfactory dysfunction is proposed to worsen numerous common co-morbidities in patients and has been shown to lead to a decreased quality of life. There are very few effective treatments for hyposmia or anosmia, and there is no gold standard of treatment. One proposed treatment option is smell training, which has shown promising yet variable results in a multitude of studies. It garners its theoretical basis from the high degree of neuroplasticity within the olfactory system, both peripherally and centrally. However, due to a relative inadequacy of proper studies on olfactory training, it is unknown what the most efficacious method in which to undergo the training is. This study proposes two novel procedural modifications to smell training in an attempt to enhance its efficacy. The investigators propose using a bimodal visual-olfactory approach, rather than relying on olfaction alone, during smell training, as well as using patient-preferred scents in the training that are identified as important by the study participant, rather than pre-determined scents with inadequate scientific backing. The investigators hypothesize that by utilizing bimodal visual-olfactory training and patient-selected scents, the olfactory training will be more efficacious and more motivating for participants.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT04710394
- Run by
- Washington University School of Medicine
- People needed
- 240
- Starts
- 2021-01-11
- Expected to finish
- 2022-03-11
- Last updated by the study team
- 2022-06-21
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 70. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Subjective or clinically diagnosed olfactory dysfunction of 3 months duration or longer initially diagnosed within 2 weeks of a COVID-19 infection
You may not qualify if…
- Diagnosed olfactory dysfunction due to head trauma
- Chronic rhinosinusitis
- Congenital olfactory dysfunction
- Nasal polyps
- Neurodegenerative disorders (for example, Alzheimer or Parkinson Disease)
- Pre-Assessment UPSIT score ≥34 for males and ≥35 for females
- Pregnant
- Inability to read, write, and understand English
- Inability to perform home olfactory training (for example, due to limited access to internet)
- Residence outside of the the United States of America
- Previously conducting smell training
Where it is running
- Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis — St Louis, Missouri, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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