title: Prevalence of subjective olfactory dysfunction and its risk factors: korean national health and nutrition examination survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Population-based studies for olfactory dysfunction are lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of subjective olfactory dysfunction and its risk factors in the Korean general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were obtained from the 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), which was a cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized population all around the country (n = 10,533). All interviewees underwent medical interviews, physical examinations, endoscopic examination and blood/urine tests. Whether sense of smell has been normal or abnormal during the last 3 months was asked. Complete olfaction data were obtained from 7,306 participants and the participants were divided into normosmic and hyposmic group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify its risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The weighted prevalence of subjective olfactory dysfunction was 4.5%. Its increased prevalence was significantly associated with the increasing age for both men and women. In the multivariate analyses, low income (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.01-2.03), habitual exposure to air pollutants (adjusted OR = 2.18, CI = 1.33-3.55), a history of hepatitis B (adjusted OR = 3.10, CI = 1.25-7.68), rhinitis (adjusted OR = 1.78, CI = 1.26-2.51) and chronic sinusitis (adjusted OR = 14.55, CI = 10.06-21.05) were risk factors of olfactory dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our population-based study showed that olfactory dysfunction was quite prevalent and several risk factors were associated with impaired sense of smell. Given its prevalence, further researches for its prevention and management are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Hyun
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jee Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Dong-Kyu
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chae-Seo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Chul Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yang-Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kun Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Si Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong-Whun
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult