Smell and nasal findings in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome

As part of a clinical trial of the effect of Efamol on primary Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), 36 patients were interviewed about nasal symptoms and examined for sense of smell and nasal mucociliary clearance. The sense of smell was examined by quantitative olfactometry using coffee as a stimulant while mucociliary clearance was evaluated by the saccharin test. The findings were compared with those of an age and sex matched control group. 39% of the patients complained of dryness of the nose and 44% of nasal crust formation whereas none of the healthy controls had such complaints. In contrast no differences in sense of smell (subjectively as well as objectively) and mucociliary clearance could be demonstrated. Neither was there any correlation between mucociliary clearance and crust formation or dryness of the nose. Also the mucociliary clearance was not correlated to the "break up time" of the tear-film determined by the ophthalmologist. The present findings indicate that examination of the sense of smell and nasal mucociliary clearance is of little diagnostic value in primary SS and cannot be used for monitoration of disease activity.