Demographic, epidemiological and clinical outcomes
The following demographic and epidemiological data were collected with a
standardized online questionnaire: gender; age; ethnicity; smoking and
comorbidities (i.e. heart, respiratory, kidney, liver, neurological,
autoimmune diseases, diabetes, hypertension and gastroduodenal
disorders). Mild-to-moderate patients fulfilled themselves the
questionnaire while physicians completed the questionnaire after
anamnesis or on medical record for the hospitalized patients who were
not able to electronically complete the evaluations.
From a clinical standpoint, general symptoms were assessed as present or
absent. Otolaryngological symptoms were rated with a 5-point scale
ranging from 0 (absent) to 4 (very severe symptoms). Both subjective
olfactory and gustatory functions were assessed through items of the
smell and taste component of the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey.7