Fluticasone Nasal Spray and Triamcinolone Paste Improve Smell and Taste Symptoms in COVID-19

It was a prospective, case-control, interventional study, conducted from June to Nov 2020 at, Datta Meghe University during the COVID-19 outbreak. Researchers included 120 patients with lab-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection with mild to the moderate presentation of the disease. Among 120 patients, 60 were in the case group and 60 in the control group. Researchers tested them at days 1 and 5 after proven infection by RT-PCR test. The control group were monitored for symptoms without intervention treatment to compare the recovery time.

The researchers noted after the use of fluticasone spray in the nose and triamcinolone paste in the mouth, there was a statistically significant improvement in recognizing all the odours and taste on day 5 compared to day 1 among the case group. Whereas in the control group, they found no improvement or worsening in smell or taste on day 5.

The authors concluded, "The use of fluticasone nasal spray and triamcinolone paste had immensely influenced the basic senses such as smell and taste. Our study showed that olfactory and taste function significantly improved in patients with COVID-19. For all anosmia and dysgeusia cases who received fluticasone nasal spray and triamcinolone medications the recovery of smell senses and the taste was within a week".

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DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102892