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Published on: May 16, 2025
725
Chemosensory function is decreased in rheumatoid arthritis
Ute Walliczek-Dworschak1,2, Jörg Wendler3, Tran Khan4,3,5
1Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. UteWalliczek@gmx.net.
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients exhibit diminished taste and smell function, specifically in odor discrimination and identification, independent of disease severity. Olfactory threshold remains unaffected in RA patients.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Rheumatic disorders are associated with impaired chemosensory perception.
- Understanding these sensory deficits in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and quantify chemosensory function, including olfaction and gustation, in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Main Methods:
- Utilized the "Sniffin' Sticks" test battery for olfactory testing (odor thresholds, discrimination, identification) in 212 RA patients and 30 controls.
- Assessed gustatory function using "taste sprays" and "taste strips" on suprathreshold and quasi-threshold levels.
- Measured inflammatory markers and RA autoantibodies to correlate with chemosensory function.
Main Results:
- 40% of RA patients presented with hyposmia (reduced smell), and 4% were functionally anosmic (complete smell loss).
- RA patients demonstrated significantly lower scores in odor discrimination (OD) and odor identification (OI) compared to healthy controls.
- Gustatory function was also found to be decreased in RA patients compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Chemosensory functions, including taste, odor discrimination, and odor identification, are impaired in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Olfactory threshold (OT) was not significantly affected in RA patients.
- These chemosensory changes appear to be independent of disease activity or duration in RA.
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