Recent Smell Loss Is the Best Predictor of COVID-19 Among Individuals With Recent Respiratory Symptoms.

In a preregistered, cross-sectional study, we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0-100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n = 4148) or negative (C19-; n = 546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery.

The best COVID-19 predictor is recent smell loss: a cross-sectional study.

Background: COVID-19 has heterogeneous manifestations, though one of the most common symptoms is a sudden loss of smell (anosmia or hyposmia). We investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19.

Methods: This preregistered, cross-sectional study used a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness.

The FlexISH assay brings flexibility to cytogenetic HER2 testing.

Aims: Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) is the method of choice for quantitative human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) (also known as ERBB2) gene testing in invasive breast cancer. HER2 testing has great clinical impact, and is often claimed to expeditiously complete the entire diagnostic procedure for an individual patient. Against this background, the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and performance of a novel dual-colour HER2/cen17 FISH assay designed to facilitate flexible (overnight) and rapid (<2 h of hybridization) FISH.