Hazardous events associated with impaired olfactory function.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the risk of olfactory-related hazardous events in patients with impaired olfactory function.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
A university-based clinic for smell and taste disorders.


METHODS
A total of 445 patients who underwent olfactory testing between 1983 and 2001.


METHODS
Patient interview, olfactory testing.


METHODS
(1) Frequency of olfactory-related hazardous events including cooking incidents (ie, burning pots or pans), undetected fires, undetected gas leaks, and ingestion of spoiled foods or toxic substances; (2) level of olfactory function (anosmia; severe, moderate, or mild hyposmia; or normosmia) as determined by olfactory testing.


RESULTS
Olfactory testing revealed that 76% of patients had some degree of impairment; 30% had complete anosmia. Thirty-seven percent of patients with olfactory impairment but only 19% of patients without impairment experienced at least 1 olfactory-related hazardous event. Of the hazardous events reported by impaired patients, cooking-related incidents were most common, representing 45%, with ingestion of spoiled food (25%), inability to detect a gas leak (23%), and inability to smell a fire (7%) reported less frequently. There was a significant correlation between frequency of hazardous events and degree of olfactory impairment (Cochran-Armitage trend test, P<.001): at least 1 hazardous event was reported by 45.2% of patients with anosmia, 34.1% with severe hyposmia, 32.8% with moderate hyposmia, 24.2% with mild hyposmia, and 19.0% of patients with with normal olfaction by testing.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with impaired olfactory function are more likely to experience olfactory-related hazardous events than those with normal olfactory function.
Santos
Daniel V
DV
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
Reiter
Evan R
ER
DiNardo
Laurence J
LJ
Costanzo
Richard M
RM
D000061:Accidents, Home; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003296:Cooking; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D005579:Fossil Fuels