ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT04390165Updated Feb 25, 2021

Malaysian COVID-19 Anosmia Study (Phase 1) - A Nationwide Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study

An observational study in SARS-CoV Infection, COVID-19 and Anosmia, sponsored by Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah. Completed at 14 sites in Malaysia. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-02-25.

Sponsored by Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-only
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
498
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The Malaysian COVID-19 Anosmia Study is a nationwide multicentre observational study to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of olfactory and gustatory/taste disturbances in COVID-19 infection in Malaysia, and to evaluate the predictive value of screening for these symptoms in COVID-19 infection.

This study consists of two phases: the first phase is a cross-sectional study and the second phase is a case-control study. The cross-sectional study is described here (the case-control study is described in a separate ClinicalTrials.gov record).

Read the detailed description

The world is currently in the midst of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is caused by a novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). According to published cohort studies on COVID-19 infected patients, the most prevalent symptoms consist of fever, dry cough, dyspnoea, sputum production, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, diarrhoea, and sore throat. Recently, there have been concerns of significant viral transmission through asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic or even mildly symptomatic patients.

There is increasing anecdotal evidence from patients and healthcare professionals highlighting isolated loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and taste disturbances (dysgeusia) as atypical symptoms of COVID-19 infection in otherwise asymptomatic patients. In parallel, expert statements from the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology-Head \& Neck Surgery (ENT UK), British Rhinological Society, and the American Association of Otolaryngology-Head \& Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) have suggested that olfactory and taste disturbances could be a clinical feature of COVID-19 infection.

Rapidly emerging evidence from Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States have found olfactory and taste disturbances to be highly prevalent in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In contrast, there is currently limited evidence from Asia on the prevalence of these symptoms in COVID-19 infection.

The aim of this cross-sectional study is to study the prevalence and characteristics of olfactory and taste disturbance in patients with COVID-19 infection in Malaysia. COVID-19 positive patients will be recruited from participating Malaysian Ministry of Health-designated COVID-19 treating hospitals across the country. Participants will answer an online questionnaire to evaluate and characterise these symptoms.

02

Conditions studied

  • SARS-CoV Infection
  • COVID-19
  • Anosmia
  • Dysgeusia

Keywords

  • Cross-sectional study
  • Prevalence
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Anosmia
  • Dysgeusia
  • Olfactory Disorders
  • Taste Disorders
  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Coronavirus 2019
03

In context

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

376 studies on the registry are indexed under Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; 15 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 498 is above the median of 300 across 129 observational studies indexed under Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Browse Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome studies →

Lead sponsor

Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

The study population are adult patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection from participating Malaysian hospital sites in this study, since the arrival of COVID-19 infection in Malaysia (January 2020) until present time.

These patients comprise those who either currently inpatient or already discharged into the community. For patients already discharged into the community, they will be invited to participate by phone call from the hospital treating team. Once verbal consent has been obtained, they a QR code or internet URL link to the online questionnaire website will be sent to these patients.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Age at least 18 years old
  2. Laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection [Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)]
  3. Patients clinically able to answer the questionnaire

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with olfactory or taste/gustatory disorders before the COVID-19 epidemic
  2. Patients without a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis
  3. Patients in intensive care unit at the time of study
05

Study design

Observational model
Case-only
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
498 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Malaysian COVID-19 Cohort

    A cohort of COVID-19 positive patients will be recruited from participating Malaysian Ministry of Health-designated COVID-19 treating hospitals across the country.

    Other: Patient-Reported Online Questionnaire on Olfactory & Taste Disturbances

Interventions

  • OtherPatient-Reported Online Questionnaire on Olfactory & Taste Disturbances

    This is an online patient-reported questionnaire that examines the presence or absence of olfactory and taste disturbances, the onset of olfactory and taste disturbances in relation to other COVID-19 symptoms, and the temporal evolution of the severity of olfactory and taste disturbances. The occurrence of ear symptoms in COVID-19 infection will also be evaluated in this questionnaire as a secondary outcome. The questionnaire will also have questions relating to the patient's underlying health conditions, risk factors for COVID-19 infection, and demographics.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Presence or absence of olfactory and taste disturbances in COVID-19 patients

    In the patient-reported online questionnaire, subjects will be asked regarding whether they experienced symptoms of olfactory and/or taste disturbances

    Time frame: Within 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

  2. Prevalence of olfactory disturbances in COVID-19 patients

    Percentage of COVID-19 patients experiencing olfactory disturbances (anosmia or hyposmia)

    Time frame: Within 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

  3. Prevalence of taste disturbances in COVID-19 patients

    Percentage of COVID-19 patients experiencing taste disturbances

    Time frame: Within 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

Secondary outcomes

  1. Clinical manifestations of study participants

    In the patient-reported online questionnaire, subjects will be asked regarding other symptoms they experienced when they were diagnosed with COVID-19 (e.g. headache, nasal congestion, fever, chills, cough, dyspnoea, gastrointestinal symptoms, eye \& ear symptoms)

    Time frame: Within 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

  2. Other pre-existing health conditions

    In the patient-reported online questionnaire, subjects will be asked regarding their pre-existing health conditions (for example, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac conditions, previous head trauma, chronic rhinosinusitis, etc.)

    Time frame: Prior to diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

  3. Rating of baseline sense of smell & taste in COVID-19 patients prior to diagnosis of their infection

    In the patient-reported online questionnaire, subjects will be asked to rate their sense of smell and taste before their diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

    Time frame: Prior to 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection (Baseline)

  4. Rating of sense of smell & taste in COVID-19 patients at time of diagnosis of their infection

    In the patient-reported online questionnaire, subjects will be asked to rate their sense of smell and taste at the time of diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

    Time frame: Within 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection

  5. Rating of sense of smell & taste in COVID-19 patients at time of answering questionnaire survey

    In the patient-reported online questionnaire, subjects will be asked to rate their sense of smell and taste at the time of answering questionnaire survey

    Time frame: Up to 6 months

07

Study locations

14 sites
  • Hospital Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom
    Kluang, Johor 86000, Malaysia
  • Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah
    Alor Setar, Kedah 05400, Malaysia
  • Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II
    Kota Bharu, Kelantan 15200, Malaysia
  • Hospital Tuanku Jaafar
    Seremban, Negeri Sembilan 70300, Malaysia
  • Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan
    Kuantan, Pahang 25100, Malaysia
  • Penang Hospital
    George Town, Penang 10990, Malaysia
  • Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun
    Ipoh, Perak 30450, Malaysia
  • Hospital Tuanku Fauziah
    Kangar, Perlis 01000, Malaysia
  • Hospital Queen Elizabeth
    Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88200, Malaysia
  • Sarawak General Hospital
    Kuching, Sarawak 93586, Malaysia
  • Hospital Sungai Buloh
    Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia
  • Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah
    Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu 20400, Malaysia
  • Kuala Lumpur General Hospital
    Kuala Lumpur, 50586, Malaysia
  • Hospital Melaka
    Melaka, 75400, Malaysia
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, Zhang L, Fan G, Xu J, Gu X, Cheng Z, Yu T, Xia J, Wei Y, Wu W, Xie X, Yin W, Li H, Liu M, Xiao Y, Gao H, Guo L, Xie J, Wang G, Jiang R, Gao Z, Jin Q, Wang J, Cao B. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):497-506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. Epub 2020 Jan 24. Erratum In: Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):496. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30252-X. PubMed 31986264 ↗
  • Giacomelli A, Pezzati L, Conti F, Bernacchia D, Siano M, Oreni L, Rusconi S, Gervasoni C, Ridolfo AL, Rizzardini G, Antinori S, Galli M. Self-reported Olfactory and Taste Disorders in Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus 2 Infection: A Cross-sectional Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Jul 28;71(15):889-890. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa330. No abstract available. PubMed 32215618 ↗
  • Mao L, Jin H, Wang M, Hu Y, Chen S, He Q, Chang J, Hong C, Zhou Y, Wang D, Miao X, Li Y, Hu B. Neurologic Manifestations of Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Wuhan, China. JAMA Neurol. 2020 Jun 1;77(6):683-690. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.1127. PubMed 32275288 ↗
  • Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, De Siati DR, Horoi M, Le Bon SD, Rodriguez A, Dequanter D, Blecic S, El Afia F, Distinguin L, Chekkoury-Idrissi Y, Hans S, Delgado IL, Calvo-Henriquez C, Lavigne P, Falanga C, Barillari MR, Cammaroto G, Khalife M, Leich P, Souchay C, Rossi C, Journe F, Hsieh J, Edjlali M, Carlier R, Ris L, Lovato A, De Filippis C, Coppee F, Fakhry N, Ayad T, Saussez S. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions as a clinical presentation of mild-to-moderate forms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a multicenter European study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Aug;277(8):2251-2261. doi: 10.1007/s00405-020-05965-1. Epub 2020 Apr 6. PubMed 32253535 ↗
  • Kaye R, Chang CWD, Kazahaya K, Brereton J, Denneny JC 3rd. COVID-19 Anosmia Reporting Tool: Initial Findings. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2020 Jul;163(1):132-134. doi: 10.1177/0194599820922992. Epub 2020 Apr 28. PubMed 32340555 ↗
  • Yan CH, Faraji F, Prajapati DP, Boone CE, DeConde AS. Association of chemosensory dysfunction and COVID-19 in patients presenting with influenza-like symptoms. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2020 Jul;10(7):806-813. doi: 10.1002/alr.22579. Epub 2020 Jun 1. PubMed 32279441 ↗
  • Spinato G, Fabbris C, Polesel J, Cazzador D, Borsetto D, Hopkins C, Boscolo-Rizzo P. Alterations in Smell or Taste in Mildly Symptomatic Outpatients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection. JAMA. 2020 May 26;323(20):2089-2090. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.6771. PubMed 32320008 ↗
  • Lee SH, Yeoh ZX, Sachlin IS, Gazali N, Soelar SA, Foo CY, Low LL, Syed Alwi SB, Tengku Kamalden TMI, Shanmuganathan J, Zaid M, Wong CY, Chua HH, Yusuf S, Muhamad D, Devesahayam PR, Ker HB, Salahuddin Z, Mustafa M, Sawali H, Lee HG, Din S, Misnan NA, Mohamad A, Ismail MN, Periasamy C, Chow TS, Krishnan EK, Leong CL, Lim LPF, Zaidan NZ, Ibrahim MZ, Abd Wahab S, Mohd Hashim SS; Malaysian COVID-19 Anosmia Research Group. Self-reported symptom study of COVID-19 chemosensory dysfunction in Malaysia. Sci Rep. 2022 Feb 8;12(1):2111. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-06029-6. PubMed 35136124 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Ran from Jun 2020 to primary completion in Nov 2020, 5 months.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
May 10, 2020
First posted
May 15, 2020
StartActual
Jun 6, 2020
Primary completionActual
Nov 30, 2020
CompletionActual
Nov 30, 2020
Last update
Feb 25, 2021
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 25, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04390165
Lead sponsor
Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah
Collaborators
Hospital Tuanku Fauziah, Kangar, Perlis, Penang Hospital, Malaysia, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Hospital Melaka, Melaka, Hospital Enche Besar Hajjah Khalsom, Kluang, Johor, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bahru, Kelantan, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Pahang, Sarawak General Hospital, Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Malaysia
Responsible party
Siti Sabzah bt Mohd Hashim, MD, MS (ORL-HNS) (Head of Otorhinolaryngology Service, Ministry of Health, Malaysia & Senior Consultant Otorhinolaryngologist, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah) — Principal investigator
First posted
May 15, 2020
Start date
Jun 6, 2020
Primary completion
Nov 30, 2020
Completion
Nov 30, 2020
Last update
Feb 25, 2021

Study contacts

Siti Sabzah Mohd Hashim, MD MS
study chair · Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion