COVID-19における味覚の質的・量的変化の評価

Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative taste alterations in COVID-19.

抄録

味覚障害はCOVID-19患者のかなりの割合で生じている。この観察研究では、軽症および中等症のCOVID-19患者のインターロイキン-6（IL-6）レベルを、味覚障害の種類（量的または質的）と比較した。前駆症状として味覚障害のみを示したCOVID-19患者208人（男性118人，女性90人）を軽症者と中等症者に分類した．味覚障害の評価はアンケートで行った。IL-6濃度は化学発光測定法を用いて測定した。統計解析はWilcoxon rank, Welch's, Mann-Whitney検定を用いて行った（p＜0.05）。その結果、酸味と塩味の知覚、味覚異常と幻覚の有無について、中等度と軽度の患者で統計的に有意な差は認められなかった（p＞0.05）。しかし、うま味、苦味、甘味の知覚では、中等度と軽度の患者で統計的に有意な差が認められ、パラグシアの存在も確認された（p＜0.05）。IL-6高値の患者では、アゲウスに至るまで複数の味覚の障害が見られた。この結果から，甘味，苦味，うま味の知覚障害，パラユージアの存在は，より重症のCOVID-19の徴候と考えられることが明らかになった．

Taste dysfunctions occur in a large proportion of COVID-19 patients. This observational study compared interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in mild and moderate COVID-19 patients with the type (quantitative or qualitative) of taste disorders. The 208 COVID-19 patients (118 men and 90 women) showing only taste dysfunctions as prodromic symptoms were classified as mild and moderate patients. The evaluation of the taste disorder was carried out using a survey. The IL-6 levels were measured with a chemiluminescence assay. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon rank, Welch's, and Mann-Whitney tests (p <0.05). The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the perception of sour and salty, nor in the presence of dysgeusia and phantogeusia in moderate versus mild patients (p>0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in the perception of umami, bitter, sweet, and the presence of parageusia in moderate versus mild patients (p<0.05). There was an impairment of multiple tastes up to ageusia in patients with high IL-6 levels. The results showed that dysfunctions in the perception of sweet, bitter, umami, and the presence of parageusia can be considered as signs of more severe forms of COVID-19.