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| Poster #231 Pre-Infection COVID-19 Vaccination Protects Against Smell Loss |
| Shima T. Moein Research & Development Division, Sensonics International, Haddon Heights, NJ, United States |
Objectives: Smell loss (anosmia) is a common and distressing symptom of COVID-19, with potential long-term consequences on quality of life. This study evaluates the protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination on olfactory and gustatory function using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and the Waterless Empirical Taste Test (WETT). Methods: A total of 250 individuals were assessed, including 128 who were vaccinated prior to contracting COVID-19 and 122 who were unvaccinated at the time of infection. UPSIT and WETT scores were compared between the two groups using one-way ANOVA. A subgroup analysis was performed for individuals under 70 years of age to evaluate potential age-related differences in the protective effects of vaccination. Results: Vaccinated individuals exhibited a higher mean UPSIT score (34.37) compared to the unvaccinated group (32.58), with results nearing statistical significance (p = 0.0539). However, among participants younger than 70 years, vaccinated individuals had significantly higher UPSIT scores (35.41) compared to their unvaccinated counterparts (32.95), with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0064). WETT scores showed no significant difference between vaccinated (35.08) and unvaccinated (34.34) individuals (p = 0.5095). Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccination appears to provide a protective effect against long-term smell loss, particularly in younger individuals. Vaccinated individuals demonstrate better preservation of olfactory function, as indicated by higher UPSIT scores. These findings underscore the potential role of vaccination in mitigating the sensory deficits associated with COVID-19 and highlight the need for further research to explore the underlying mechanisms of this protection. |