Evaluation of olfactory memory after coronary artery bypass grafting.
BACKGROUND
This study determined whether coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery has any effect on olfactory function, employing the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT).


METHODS
All the participants were informed preoperatively about the B-SIT test and the mode of its application. The test was performed by each patient preoperatively (d0) as well as 1 (d1) and 3 (d3) days following the surgery. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were recorded at the same time as the smell test.


RESULTS
This prospective study included 45 patients. The mean age was 67 ± 7.55, and the group was 29% male. The mean durations of cross clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass were 54 ± 32 min and 62.5 ± 37.0 min, respectively. Eleven different odors were tested. Significant differences were observed for several odors: leather between d0 and d3, pine between d0 and d3, onion between d0 and d1, onion between d0 and d3, and soap between d0 and d1. The postoperative CRP levels were significantly higher than the preoperative levels. The correlation analysis determined that the postoperative CRP levels were negatively correlated with the B-SIT score (r = -0.48, p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that patients after CABG are prone to develop olfactory dysfunction in the early postoperative period and that olfactory dysfunction is associated with postoperative CRP levels.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Kemalettin
K
Erdem
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Veysel
V
Yurttas
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Murat
M
Bilgi
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Abdullah
A
Demırhan
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Tayfun
T
Apuhan
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Onursal
O
Bugra
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical School, Bolu, Turkey.
Bahadir
B
Daglar
CABG; CRP levels; olfactory dysfunction