title: Use of olfactory training in post-traumatic and postinfectious olfactory dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is evidence that the olfactory system can be modulated by repeated exposure to odors, a procedure called olfactory training. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of olfactory training in patients with postinfectious and post-traumatic olfactory dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study of 119 patients with postinfectious and post-traumatic olfactory dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients (postinfectious and post-traumatic) performed the olfactory training (n = 49 and n = 23, respectively) over a period of 16 weeks and were compared with two control groups of the same etiology (n = 32 and n = 15). Patients with sinunasal, neurologic, or idiopathic disease were excluded. Training was performed twice daily with the use of four odors (phenyl ethyl alcohol [rose], eucalyptol [eucalyptus], citronellal [lemon], and eugenol [cloves]). Olfactory testing was performed by means of the Sniffin' Sticks test battery (threshold, discrimination, identification) at the time of diagnosis, and 8 and 16 weeks later. All patients evaluated their olfactory function by means of a visual analogue scale (0-100).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, training patients in both groups presented significantly higher scores of olfactory function as measured by the Sniffin' Sticks test. This increase was measured in 67.8% of postinfectious and 33.2% of post-traumatic patients. Subjective ratings were in accordance with the olfactory test results. Subset analysis showed that olfactory function mainly increased olfactory identification followed by discrimination in both training groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that a 16-week short-term exposure to specific odors may increase olfactory sensitivity in patients with postinfectious and post-traumatic olfactory dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Smell and Taste Clinic, Second Academic Otorhinolaryngology Department, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Iordanis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konstantinidis
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsakiropoulou
authors.forename: Paschalia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bekiaridou
authors.forename: Chrysa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kazantzidou
authors.forename: Jannis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Constantinidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013811:Psychotherapeutic Processes; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anosmia; olfactory training; post-traumatic; postinfectious