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Stellate Ganglion Block for COVID-19-Induced Olfactory Dysfunction

NCT05445921 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE1/PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2026-02-12

Study results available
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Summary

Chronic olfactory dysfunction from the COVID-19 pandemic is a growing public health crisis with up to 1.2 million people in the Unites States affected. Olfactory dysfunction impacts one's quality of life significantly by decreasing the enjoyment of foods, creating environmental safety concerns, and affecting one's ability to perform certain jobs. Olfactory dysfunction is also an independent predictor of anxiety, depression, and even mortality. While the pandemic has increased the interest by the scientific community in combating the burgeoning health crisis, few effective treatments currently exist for olfactory dysfunction. Furthermore, patients impacted by "long COVID," or chronic symptoms after an acute COVID-19 infection, experience impairments other than olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, such as chronic dyspnea, impaired memory and concentration, and severe fatigue. These symptoms have been hypothesized to be a result of sympathetic positive feedback loops and dysautonomia. Stellate ganglion blocks have been proposed to treat this hyper-sympathetic activation by blocking the sympathetic neuronal firing and resetting the balance of the autonomic nervous system. Studies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic have supported a beneficial effect of stellate ganglion blocks on olfactory dysfunction, and recent news reports and a published case series have described a dramatic benefit in both olfactory function and other long COVID symptoms in patients receiving stellate ganglion blocks. Therefore, we propose a single cohort prospective study to generate pilot data on the efficacy and safety of sequential stellate ganglion blocks for the treatment of COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction and other long COVID symptoms.

Conditions

  • Anosmia
  • Hyposmia
  • Parosmia
  • Olfactory Disorder

Interventions

DRUG

Stellate Ganglion Block

The stellate ganglion will be identified using ultrasound guidance, and after a test does of 1% lidocaine, 1% mepivacaine will be injected near the stellate ganglion.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Washington University School of Medicine

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
70 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-09-01
Primary Completion
2022-12-12
Completion
2022-12-12
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05445921 on ClinicalTrials.gov