Smell disorders evolution after chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps surgery

: The effects of chronic rhino sinusitis with polyps (CRSWP) surgery on smell symptoms have not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of CRSWP surgery on smell symptoms over short and long-term follow-up and to identify the factors that might influence their evolution. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective study about 184 patients operated endoscopically for CRSWP. In post operative period, long-term local steroids were prescribed systematically. The sense of smell was evaluated preand post-operatively according to a subjective score (1: good smell, 2: hyposmia, 3: anosmia). Some factors, related to the patient, the CRSWP and the treatment, were tested in order to identify predictors of smell outcome after surgery.. Results: Before surgery, the anosmia and the hyposmia were noted in 90.8% and in 8.7% of cases, respectively. At six months after surgery, the improvement of olfactory score was significant: 84% of patient had the score 1 compared with 0.5% preoperatively (p < 0.0001). This improvement was maintained during the 2 first years and decreased significantly at 3 years, although an average delay of polyps recurrence was 23.4 months. Among the factors studied in our series, only the observance of postoperative corticosteroids was retained as a predictor of smell recovery after surgery (p = 0,011). Conclusion: CRSWP surgery can significantly improve the smell sense, especially during the two first years. This effect can be sustainable if good post operative compliance for local corticosteroid are achieved

Comparison between olfactory function of pregnant women and non-pregnant women in reproductive age group in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Pregnant women require normal olfactory function in order to develop good appetite for healthy living and normal fetal development. This study was carried out to investigate and compare olfactory function of pregnant women with non-pregnant women. Methods: This was a case control study of women in reproductive age group at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria from July 2014 to February 2015. Consecutive 70 pregnant women and 70 non-pregnant women (controls) without rhinologic symptoms were studied. A structured questionnaire was administered to obtain participants' information on socio-demographics, pregnancy history, and ability to perceive smell. They subjectively rated their olfactory function on a visual analogue scale of 0 ­ 100. Olfactory threshold (OT), discrimination (OD), identification (OI) scores and TDI of both groups were determined with"Sniffin' sticks"kits and compared. The level of significance was P<0.05. Results: The mean age of the pregnant women was 30.5±3.9years and control was 28.5±6.6years. There were more pregnant women (7.1%) with hyposmia than the non-pregnant women (2.9%). The subjective rating of olfactory function was 68.2±24.9 (median 70) and 72.3±21.6 (median 69) in pregnant women and controls respectively. The mean OT, OD, OI, TDI scores were higher in pregnant women than the controls. However, it was only in OI (P=0.000) and TDI (P=0.012) that the differences were significant. Conclusions: Pregnant women have olfactory dysfunction more than the non-pregnant women of reproductive age group. Also, they have tendency to develop loss of cognitive olfactory information more than the non-pregnant women

APOPO's Tuberculosis Research Agenda: Achievements; Challenges and Prospects

Abstract:This article describes Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling (APOPO) recent use of specially trained African giant pouched rats as detectors of pulmonary tuberculosis in people living in Tanzania. It summarizes the achievements and challenges encountered over the years and outlines future prospects. Since 2008; second-line screening by the rats has identified more than 2000 tuberculosis-positive patients who were missed by microscopy at Direct Observation of Treatment - Short Course centres in Tanzania. Moreover; data that are reviewed herein have been collected with respect to the rats' sensitivity and specificity in detecting tuberculosis. Findings strongly suggest that scent-detecting rats offer a quick and practical tool for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis and within the year APOPO's tuberculosis-detection project will be extended to Mozambique. As part of its local capacity building effort; APOPO hires and trains Tanzanians to play many important roles in its TB detection project and provides research and training opportunities for Tanzanian students