Objective Odor Assessment in Patients with Osmidrosis.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Established standards for assessing axillary odor intensity and osmidrosis treatment efficacy are lacking.
• Osmidrosis, or body odor, is a condition impacting quality of life, necessitating objective assessment tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an objective method for evaluating osmidrosis severity.
• To investigate the volatile odorants and skin flora associated with osmidrosis.
• To assess the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for osmidrosis.

Main Methods:

• Odor intensity was measured pre- and postoperatively in 79 osmidrosis patients using an industrial odor sensor.
• Axillary skin bacterial flora was analyzed via cultures, and volatile odorants were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
• Skin pH was measured, and the distribution of odorants and bacteria within the skin was examined using electron microscopy.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in odor intensity was observed postoperatively (52.6 to 20.5, P < 0.001).
• The predominant bacterial flora identified was *Staphylococcus*, and multiple volatile proteins were detected as causative odor substances.
• Preoperative axillary skin pH (6.21) was significantly higher than in individuals without osmidrosis (5.92, P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• An odor sensor provides an accurate and objective method for assessing osmidrosis odor intensity.
• Axillary skin pH neutralization may facilitate bacterial growth and odorant production, suggesting pH management as a therapeutic consideration.
• Odor sensor and pH measurements serve as valuable objective tools for preoperative and postoperative assessment in osmidrosis management.