Olfactory event-related potential in patients with rhinosinusitis-induced olfactory dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Olfactory disorders are prevalent in rhinology clinics.
• Olfactory event-related potential (OERP) offers an objective measure of olfactory function.
• Assessing consistency between OERP and psychophysical tests is crucial for rhinosinusitis patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the concordance between OERP and the T&T olfactometry assessment in rhinosinusitis patients.
• To investigate the influence of nasal polyposis on the reliability of olfactory function tests.

Main Methods:

• Olfactory function was assessed using both T&T olfactometry and OERP before functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).
• Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, CT scans, and endoscopic findings.
• OERP and T&T tests were repeated six months post-surgery in patients with initially identified OERP.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation between T&T scores and OERP (N1 and P2 amplitude/latency) was observed in non-polyp patients.
• No significant correlation was found in polyp patients, except for those with a clear olfactory cleft (OC) on CT.
• In polyp patients with partial OC obstruction, OERP was present despite anosmia, with T&T scores decreasing post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• OERP is a viable tool for assessing olfactory function in rhinosinusitis patients.
• Partial olfactory cleft obstruction by nasal polyps can disrupt the correlation between OERP and psychophysical tests.
• OERP and T&T tests showed significant postoperative correlation in both groups.