Olfactory function in oncologic hospice patients.
BACKGROUND
Normal sense of smell is important for well being. Although cancer is reported to be associated with impaired olfactory function, very few studies have directly evaluated this effect.


METHODS
We performed a quantitative analysis of olfactory status in 42 hospice patients in a hospital-based hospice facility. Olfaction was assessed using the "Sniffin' Sticks" (Burghart Medical Technology, Tinsdaler, Germany) kit.


RESULTS
Twenty-five patients (60%) were found to be hyposmic.


CONCLUSIONS
Study results indicate the high incidence of decreased olfactory function among hospice patients.
Yakirevitch
Arkadi
A
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. arkadiyak@hotmail.com
Bercovici
Michaela
M
Migirov
Lela
L
Adunsky
Abraham
A
Pfeffer
M Raphael
MR
Kronenberg
Jona
J
Talmi
Yoav P
YP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology