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Abstract
Background and Objectives
Olfactory dysfunction is a common sensory disorder, but there are currently no standard diagnostics or therapeutic methods. We analyzed the effects of systemic steroid therapy in patients with olfactory dysfunction.
Materials and Method
We analyzed patients who visited our ENT department with olfactory dysfunction for 3 years. We reviewed their charts and classified the patients according to age, sex, etiology of olfactory dysfunction, degrees of olfactory dysfunction and the effect of systemic steroid therapy.
Results
The mean age was 44.3 years old and there were 50 males and 55 females; 55 patients had inflammatory disease and 50 patients had non-inflammatory disease. The distribution of degrees of olfactory disorder according to cause was not significantly different (p=0.120). In 105 patients, 20% experienced improvements after systemic steroid therapy, and the response of systemic steroid therapy was better among patients with inflammatory causes. In cases of inflammatory disease, there was a larger amount of severe hyposmia patients, and their response to systemic steroid therapy was significant (p=0.015). Patients with mild and moderate hyposmia were more responsive to systemic steroid therapy than patients with severe hyposmia (p=0.382).
References
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Table 1.
Distribution in casual group of olfactory dysfunction and average of identification score in T&T olfactometer
| Cause | Number | Average of identification score in T&T olfactometer | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 3 months after treatment | |||
| Chr PNS* | 27 | 4.47±1.12 | 4.05±1.61 | 0.129 |
| CHR† | 13 | 4.63±1.06 | 4.13±1.88 | 0.201 |
| AR‡ | 15 | 4.58±1.13 | 4.14±1.77 | 0.142 |
| Inflammatory | 55 | 4.54±1.09 | 4.10±1.69 | 0.013 |
| URI§ | 25 | 4.39±1.29 | 4.30±1.47 | 0.522 |
| Head trauma | 10 | 4.08±1.43 | 3.93±1.51 | 0.261 |
| Unknown | 15 | 4.39±1.31 | 4.33±1.45 | 0.676 |
| Non-inflammatory | 50 | 4.33±1.30 | 4.24±1.45 | 0.273 |
| Total | 105 | 4.44±1.19 | 4.16±1.57 | 0.006 |
Table 2.
Distribution of degree of olfactory disorder according to cause of olfactory dysfunction
| Inflammatory, n (%) | Non-inflammatory, n (%) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | 4 (7.3%) | 8 (16%) | |
| Moderate | 7 (12.7%) | 8 (16%) | |
| Severe | 44 (80%) | 34 (68%) | |
| Total | 55 (100%) | 50 (100%) | p=0.120 |
Table 3.
The response of steroid therapy
| Effect | n (%) |
|---|---|
| Recovery | 7 (6.7%) |
| Improvement | 14 (13.3%) |
| No effect | 84 (80%) |
| Total | 105 (100%) |
Table 4.
Response of steroid therapy according to causes of olfactory dysfunction
| Inflammatory, n (%) | Non-inflammatory, n (%) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response* | 16 (29.1%) | 5 (10%) | |
| No effect | 39 (70.9%) | 45 (90%) | |
| Total | 55 (100%) | 50 (100%) | p=0.015 |
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