title: Comparison of the effects of nasal steroids and montelukast on olfactory functions in patients with allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Olfactory dysfunction is one of the comorbidities associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) and AR is one of the common causes of olfactory problems. We aimed to evaluate by the Sniffin' Sticks test the effects on olfactory functions of nasal steroids and leukotriene antagonists used for allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with seasonal rhinitis were included in this study. Patients were randomly divided into three groups of 10 patients; group 1 received montelukast sodium and mometasone furoate (MF) therapy, group 2 received only montelukast, and group 3 only MF. Patients' olfactory functions were determined using the Sniffin' Sticks olfactory test before and after a month treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Threshold, discrimination, identification, and the sum of threshold, discrimination, and identification (TDI) values were not significantly different among the groups before treatment. For Group 1 and Group 3 patients, there were statistically significant differences in threshold, discrimination, identification, and TDI values before and after treatment (P<0.05) (Wilcoxon signed ranks analysis). For Group 2 patients, the before and after treatment values of threshold, discrimination, identification, and TDI showed no significant difference (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the findings of our study, MF is superior to montelukast in improving olfactory function. Although montelukast has been shown to be effective against AR symptoms, its effect on olfactory function was not demonstrated in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital, 34255 Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: dalgicabdullah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalgic
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital, 34255 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dinc
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital, 34255 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulusoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital, 34255 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dizdar
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital, 34255 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Is
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital, 34255 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Topak
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000281:Administration, Intranasal / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*; D013440:Sulfides; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011804:Quinolines; D013440:Sulfides; C093875:montelukast
keywords: Allergic rhinitis; Mometasone furoate; Montelukast; Sniffin’ Sticks test