[Characteristics of postviral olfactory disorder]

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are a common cause of olfactory dysfunction.
• Understanding the clinical profile of post-URTI olfactory impairment is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients experiencing olfactory dysfunction after URTIs.
• To assess the correlation between olfactory dysfunction severity and taste function.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 95 patients with post-URTI olfactory dysfunction was studied, divided into anosmia (58 cases) and hyposmia (37 cases) groups.
• Subjective olfactometry (Sniffin' Sticks test) and taste function tests were administered.
• Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in gender, age, or onset season were found between the anosmia and hyposmia groups.
• A significant positive correlation was observed between olfactory dysfunction severity and the degree of taste impairment (Pearson's r=0.210, P<0.05).
• Ageusia and hypogeusia were more prevalent in the anosmia group compared to the hyposmia group.

Conclusions:

• Post-URTI olfactory dysfunction frequently presents with concurrent taste dysfunction.
• The severity of olfactory impairment directly correlates with the extent of taste function damage.
• Olfactory impairment severity is not associated with gender, age, or season of onset.