Gender difference in Chinese adults with post-viral olfactory disorder:a hospital-based study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Post-viral olfactory disorder (PVOD) is a common cause of acquired olfactory dysfunction.
• Limited data exists on PVOD in Chinese populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate demographic risk factors and clinical features of PVOD in Chinese subjects.
• To analyze gender differences in susceptibility and presentation of PVOD.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 143 PVOD patients and 117 controls with other olfactory disorders.
• Assessment of age, duration, and severity of olfactory loss.
• Utilized Sniffin' Sticks, Olfactory Event Related Potential (OERP), and olfactory pathway MRI for olfactory function testing.

Main Results:

• A higher proportion of women were diagnosed with PVOD compared to controls (p < 0.001).
• Older PVOD patients were more likely to be women (p = 0.027), and female prevalence increased with olfactory loss duration (p = 0.032).
• Women with PVOD showed fewer olfactory pathway abnormalities on MRI (p < 0.001) despite a higher female-to-male ratio in OERP abnormalities (p = 0.041).

Conclusions:

• Significant gender differences exist in Chinese individuals with PVOD.
• Women exhibit higher susceptibility to PVOD, with this risk amplified by age and longer duration of olfactory impairment.
• Findings suggest distinct pathophysiological mechanisms or differential disease progression between genders.