title: Olfactory dysfunction in chronic stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to investigate odor identification performance in patients one year after hospital admittance due to stroke. Predictors for olfactory dysfunction were investigated as well as self-reported olfactory function and pleasantness of olfactory items.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-year prospective study was performed. Stroke location, classification and comorbidities were registered at hospital admission. One year after admission, olfactory function was assessed using standardized olfactory methods (screening for loss of detection sensitivity and an odor identification test). A group of matched controls was derived from a population-based study to compare odor identification performance between groups. Patients were asked for their personal judgment regarding their olfactory function and pleasantness of odorous items. In addition, global cognitive function and symptoms of depression were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 78 patients were enrolled (46 males, 32 females; mean age 68 years) of which 28.2% exhibited reduced olfactory function (hyposmia) and 15.4% exhibited loss of olfactory function (10.3% functional anosmia, 5.1% complete anosmia). Patients showed significantly lower olfactory performance compared to age- and sex-mated matched controls. Predictors of impaired olfactory function were age and NIHSS score. Self-reports indicated no significant differences between patients with normal olfactory function and those with reduced function. Yet, patients having an olfactory dysfunction rated odorous items as significantly less pleasant compared to patients without dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Olfactory dysfunction seems to occur frequently after stoke even one year after initial admission. The deficits seem to relate to hyposmia and functional anosmia, and less to a complete loss of smell sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. eike.wehling@psybp.uib.no.|Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. eike.wehling@psybp.uib.no.|Kavli Centre for Aging and Dementia Research, Haraldsplass Hospital, Bergen, Norway. eike.wehling@psybp.uib.no.
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wehling
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Centre for Age-related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Halvor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Statistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wollschlaeger
authors.forename: Håkon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Hakon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Central Hospital, Skövde, Sweden.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bramerson
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Central Hospital, Skövde, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bende
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nordin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*