title: Long term effects of olfactory training in patients with post-infectious olfactory loss.
abstract: There is evidence of the effectiveness of repeated exposure to odours on short-term olfactory function. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effects of olfactory training.
  
  
  
  We conducted a prospective study of 111 patients with post-infectious olfactory dysfunction. Two groups of patients performed olfactory training for 16 and 56 weeks, respectively, and were compared with a control group. The training was performed twice daily using four odours (phenyl ethyl alcohol, eucalyptol, citronellal, eugenol). Olfactory testing was performed by means of the Sniffin Sticks test as a baseline assessment and then every 8 weeks for 56 weeks. Subjective ratings were performed using a visual analogue scale (0-100).
  
  
  
  Both training groups presented significantly higher scores than the controls. The long-term group had better results than the short-term group. Short-term training patients sustained their improvement within the follow-up period. Subsets analysis showed that training patients mainly increased identification and discrimination. Subjective ratings were in accordance with the olfactory test results.
  
  
  
  Long-term olfactory training seems to be associated with better results in patients with post-infectious olfactory loss than a short-term scheme. Short-term training provides sustainable results at 56 weeks follow-up assessment.
authors.affiliation: Smell and Taste Clinic, 2nd Academic ORL Department, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konstantinidis
authors.affiliation: Smell and Taste Clinic, 2nd Academic ORL Department, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsakiropoulou
authors.affiliation: Smell and Taste Clinic, 2nd Academic ORL Department, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Constantinidis
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000447:Aldehydes; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D000077591:Eucalyptol; D005054:Eugenol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000447:Aldehydes; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D039821:Monoterpenes; D005054:Eugenol; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol; C108217:citronellal; D000077591:Eucalyptol