Fluctuating olfactory sensitivity and distorted odor perception in allergic rhinitis.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the relationship between allergic rhinitis, the severity and duration of nasal disease, olfactory function, and self-reported olfactory symptoms, including fluctuations or distortions in odor perception.


METHODS
Assessment of olfactory function and symptoms of 90 patients with allergic rhinitis.


METHODS
A clinic of a university teaching hospital and research facility.


METHODS
Sixty patients who presented to the Taste and Smell Clinic who had positive allergy test results and 30 patients who presented to the Allergy-Immunology Clinic. The Taste and Smell Clinic patients were grouped by nasal-sinus disease status (30 without chronic rhinosinusitis or nasal polyps, 14 with chronic rhinosinusitis but without polyps, and 16 with nasal polyps).


METHODS
Subjective olfactory symptom questionnaire and objective olfactory function tests.


RESULTS
The Allergy-Immunology Clinic patients were diagnosed as being normosmic and the Taste and Smell Clinic patients as being hyposmic or anosmic with olfactory loss that increased significantly with nasal-sinus disease severity. Comparisons with normative data confirm that olfactory scores observed in all groups were significantly lower than expected because of the aging process alone. The self-reported duration of olfactory loss increased significantly with nasal-sinus disease severity. The Taste and Smell Clinic patients without chronic rhinosinusitis or nasal polyps reported the greatest incidence of olfactory distortions and olfactory loss associated with upper respiratory tract infections.


CONCLUSIONS
There appears to be a continuum of duration and severity of olfactory loss in allergic rhinitis that parallels increasing severity of nasal-sinus disease. As a result of the increased frequency of respiratory infection associated with allergic rhinitis, these patients are at risk for damage to the olfactory epithelium.
Apter
A J
AJ
Department of Medicine, Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA.
Gent
J F
JF
Frank
M E
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000502:physiology