The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of a non-invasive olfactory device as a rapid indicator of COVID-19 in positive subjects.
The major hypothesis is that a quantitative and unbiased smell test will be a useful tool to
identify COVID-19 positive individuals.
The study will address what fraction of outpatients truly have a loss-of-smell (including a
partial loss) and is expected to outperform the current question that is used to identify
COVID-19 related anosmia "Do you have a new loss of smell or taste?" (yes/no) in terms of
sensitivity and specificity.
The study will address if high-risk asymptomatic people whom are SARS-CoV-2 positive have a
partial (or perhaps transitory) loss of smell.
The primary objective of this study is to validate the utility (sensitivity, specificity and
accuracy) of a quantitative non-biased olfactory device for the rapid identification of
SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects (as identified by PCR). The performance of the device will also
be compared to the standard CDC patient query for 'new loss of smell or taste'.
The secondary objective is to test if SARS-CoV-2 positive 'asymptomatic' COVID-19 subjects
may actually present with a mild or transitory defect in smell (hyposmia), which is revealed
through our quantitative olfactory smell test.
Device: olfactory device
A quantitative non-biased olfactory device intended for the rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects (as identified by PCR).
Inclusion Criteria:
- Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
- Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the
duration of the study
- Have a corresponding PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 on the same day.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Adults unable to consent
- Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
- Pregnant women
- Individuals with allergic to fragrances
- History of surgery on the nose or paranasal sinuses
- Asthmatics
- Patients with known neurocognitive disorders: dementia, Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease
- Adults with Acute or Chronic rhinosinusitis (They will be asked if they have a 'stuffy
or runny nose'; they may be included in some tests, but their analysis would be
segregated as they may be false positives due to allergies or a common cold or flu)
Yale New Haven Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
R Peter Manes, MD, FACS, Principal Investigator
Associate Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology)