[Functional study on the sense of smell in patients with chronic liver disease]

In olfacto-odorimetrical examinations of 32 patients with chronic liver diseases (18 female and 14 male patients at the age of 23 to 77 years) 13 patients with a disturbed olfactory function were found. With one exclusion these patients suffered from liver cirrhosis. On the basis of the anamnesis in 10 of these patients a causal connection between disturbance of smelling and liver disease could be assumed. Out of this group with chronic active hepatitis of 10 patients only 1 patient had a disturbed olfactory function. In 8 patients with disturbed olfactory function suffering from liver cirrhosis a comparison of the olfactometrical findings with activity of GOT and GPT in the serum and the serum bilirubin content showed a correlation between possibilitiy of smelling and serum bilirubin level. Possible causes of appearing olfactory disturbances are demonstrated in short.