Olfactory Dysfunction in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Treated With Disease-Modifying...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Olfactory Research

Background:

• Olfactory dysfunction is more prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients than controls.
• Previous olfactory assessments were time-consuming.
• Correlation between olfactory deficit and neurological impairment in MS was previously noted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare olfactory function in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients versus controls using a rapid screening tool.
• To investigate the association between olfactory function and clinical/radiological features in RRMS.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Sniffin' Sticks Identification Test (SSIT) for olfactory screening in 30 RRMS patients and 30 controls.
• Collected data on relapses, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), brain MRI, thalamic volume, and third ventricle width.
• Assessed cognition (Symbol Digit Modalities Test - SDMT) and fatigue (Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions - FSMC) 24 months post-olfactory testing.

Main Results:

• RRMS patients exhibited a significantly higher risk of hyposmia (66.7%) compared to controls (36.7%).
• No significant correlation was found between olfactory scores and inflammatory or neurodegenerative MS markers.
• Olfactory dysfunction correlated with fatigue (FSMC cognitive subscale) in RRMS patients on oral medications.

Conclusions:

• Olfactory dysfunction is nearly twice as common in RRMS patients compared to healthy controls.
• Olfactory dysfunction is linked to fatigue in RRMS patients treated with oral therapies like dimethyl fumarate or fingolimod.