Effects of Olfactory Training in Patients With Postinfectious Olfactory Dysfunction.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Postinfectious olfactory dysfunction (PIOD) is a common cause of smell loss.
• Olfactory training (OT) is a recognized treatment for PIOD.
• Previous studies in Korean patients lacked culturally relevant odorants or control groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of OT in Korean PIOD patients.
• To utilize odorants familiar to the Korean population.
• To include a control group for robust comparison.

Main Methods:

• 104 Korean PIOD patients participated over 3 years.
• Olfactory function assessed using the Korean version of Sniffin' stick (KVSS) II at baseline and 3 months.
• OT involved 5 familiar odorants over 3 months; a control group received no OT.

Main Results:

• OT significantly improved total KVSS II, threshold, and identification scores compared to the control group.
• Approximately 40% of subjects showed improved olfactory function after 12 weeks of OT.
• Initial olfactory function score influenced the degree of improvement post-OT.

Conclusions:

• Olfactory training (OT) is an effective treatment for postinfectious olfactory dysfunction (PIOD) in Korean patients.
• Using familiar odorants and a control group strengthens the evidence for OT efficacy.
• Findings contribute to culturally-adapted olfactory rehabilitation strategies.