Olfactory Function in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Positive Airway Pressure

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Otolaryngology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to olfactory dysfunction.
• Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is a primary treatment for OSA.
• The impact of PAP on olfactory function in OSA patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effect of PAP treatment on olfactory function in patients diagnosed with OSA.
• To determine if PAP therapy can ameliorate olfactory deficits associated with OSA.

Main Methods:

• The study included 26 OSA patients scheduled for PAP treatment.
• Olfactory function was evaluated using the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center odor test before and after 4 months of PAP therapy.
• Patients were categorized based on olfactory function severity (normal, anosmia, hyposmia).

Main Results:

• A statistically significant improvement in average odor test scores was observed after 4 months of PAP treatment (P = .002).
• Significant differences in olfactory threshold and discrimination values were noted before PAP treatment, particularly within different apnea-hypopnea index groups (P = .038, P = .022).

Conclusions:

• PAP treatment appears to improve olfactory thresholds and overall olfactory dysfunction in patients with OSA.
• This improvement may contribute to minimizing broader OSA consequences, including inflammation and cognitive impairment.
• Further research is warranted to fully understand the relationship between olfactory function and PAP treatment efficacy.