engleski

Subjective vs. objective smell assessment in patients with impaired olfaction

Major causes of olfactory disorders are sinonasal disease, viral upper respiratory tract infection, head trauma and old age. The aim of this study was to correlate the results of objective smell testing with subjective scores on olfaction and other nasal symptoms in different subgroups of patients with smell impairment. Olfactory testing is crucial for objective assessment of the severity of the disease in chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis. Data were extracted from questionnaires filled by patients sent to smell testing by the ENT specialist. For purpose of analysis all subjects were divided into 6 subgroups: 20 with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), 24 patients operated for nasal polyps, 7 patients with nasal polyps on medical treatment, 7 with hyposmia after common cold, 4 with anosmia and 11 controls with no smell impairment. Smell testing was done by using the Sniffin‘ Sticks 12 complete odorant. This test is based on the assessment of odor identification abilities for 12 standard odors with forced choice. Subjective scores (0-4) were taken for olfaction, nasal obstruction, hypersecretion and headache. The correlation between subjective score for olfaction and olfactometry score was significant for the whole group (r – 0.682), and was similar when anosmic and controls were excluded. Subjective olfaction and olfactometry score did not correlate with any other symptom. Comparing correlation coefficients between the subgroups, it seems that patients with CRS and non-operated nasal polyp patients have better correlation between subjective and objective smell assessment than patients operated for nasal polyps and those who had olfactory lesion following viral infection. Although correlation between subjective and objective smell assessment is significant, some subgroups of patients overrate their ability to recognize odors.

smell; impaired olfaction; olfactory testing

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