Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
08:47
Symptom Assessment of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis Using an Allergen Exposure Chamber
Published on: March 3, 2023
3.9K
Predictors of olfactory dysfunction in rhinosinusitis using the brief smell identification test
Jeremiah A Alt1, Jess C Mace, Maria C F Buniel
1Division of Rhinology and Sinus Surgery, Oregon Sinus Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.
The Laryngoscope
|January 10, 2014
Summary
Olfactory dysfunction affects nearly 30% of rhinosinusitis patients, worsening with disease severity. Nasal polyps are the strongest predictor of impaired smell in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Rhinology
- Olfactory Science
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction is a common yet poorly understood complication in rhinosinusitis.
- Associations between olfactory function, quality of life, and disease severity require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare olfactory function in different rhinosinusitis subgroups.
- To identify factors associated with olfactory impairment in rhinosinusitis patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, multicenter study involving 445 rhinosinusitis patients.
- Utilized the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT) to assess olfaction.
- Correlated olfactory scores with disease severity (CT scans, endoscopy) and quality-of-life measures.
Main Results:
- 28.3% of rhinosinusitis patients exhibited olfactory dysfunction.
- Worse disease severity correlated with poorer olfactory function.
- Nasal polyposis, recalcitrant disease, and aspirin intolerance were significant predictors of olfactory impairment.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory dysfunction in rhinosinusitis is multifactorial and varies among patient subgroups.
- Olfaction is linked to objective measures of disease severity but shows weak correlation with subjective quality-of-life scores.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
10.5K
The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
10.5K
01:20Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
13.1K
Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
The olfactory...
13.1K
01:25Olfaction
40.5K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
40.5K