Avaliação dos efeitos da auriculoterapia e auriculoterapia a laser no tratamento das alterações de olfato e paladar pós Covid-19 - estudo clínico

Abstract

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus, also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There are characteristic systemic changes during the disease process, and post-COVID-19, called long COVID, we can highlight the sensory changes in smell and taste that directly interfere with individuals' quality of life. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of auriculotherapy (AT) and laser auriculotherapy (LAT) in the treatment of post-COVID- 19 changes in smell and taste. After approval by the CEP (5,357,603), acceptance and signing of the TCLE by the participants, with a positive PCR exam or self-test for COVID-19, treated, aged over 18 years, of both sexes, were randomly divided into groups : G1 (AT) (n=12) AT with mustard seeds; G2 (LAT) (n= 12) AT with low power laser (Laser Duo, MMOptics, São Carlos, Brazil) (808 nm, 3 J, 100 mW, 30 s, tip area 0.03 cm2, 3.33 W/cm2, 100 J/cm2); G3 (LAT placebo) (n= 12) LAT as in group 2, with a barrier at the exit of the laser beam emission; G4 (LAT tip) (n= 12) as in group 2, using acupuncture tip (808 nm, 3 J, 100 mW, 30 s, tip area 0.07 cm2, 1.43 W/cm2, 42.9 J/cm2) (MMOptics, São Carlos, Brazil). In all groups, AT was performed in contact with the skin on the ear at different acupoints (Shen Men, Kidney, Sympathetic, Tongue, Mouth, External Nose, Internal Nose/Pharynx, Heart, Lung), once a week, totaling 10 sessions. Participants were evaluated by anamnesis, Sensory Assessment Tests (SAT) of Smell and Taste before and after each session. The results showed for SAT smell and taste in the intragroup analysis in G1-AT, G2-LAT and G4-LAT tip there was a significant difference before and after treatments (p<0.05), in G3-LAT placebo smell there was no difference for sweet and salty (p>0.05) and there was a difference for bitter, sour, spicy (p>0.05); in G3-LAT placebo taste there was no significant difference (p>0.05) for all variables. For the intergroup analysis for SAT smell and taste: between the auriculotherapy groups (G1 AT, G2 LAT, G4 LAT tip) and G3 LAT placebo there were significant differences (p<0.05), between the auriculotherapy groups they were no differences (p>0.05) and the treatments promoted an effective increase in smell and taste values (p<0.05), the G3 LAT placebo group presented lower results than the treatments groups. It can be concluded that auriculotherapy and laser auriculotherapy were effective in treating changes in smell and taste after COVID-19; the different modalities of auriculotherapy - AT, LAT, LAT tip promoted recovery of smell and taste, with no differences between treatments; there were no placebo effects, the study proposes new therapeutic protocols of auriculotherapy and laser auriculotherapy in the treatment of changes in smell and taste after COVID-19; no side effects, non- pharmacological, non-invasive, painless, with greater patient acceptability.