ABSTRACT
SUMMARY OBJECTIVE To compare two combinations of olfactory agents for olfactory training therapy of olfactory dysfunction after upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and investigate the influencing factors on clinical effects. METHODS 125 patients with olfactory dysfunction were randomly divided into two groups: test and control. During the olfactory training, four odors were used in both groups. The olfactory training lasted for 24 weeks. Then, participants were tested using Sniffin' Sticks and threshold-discrimination-identification (TDI) composite scoring before treatment and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The TDI scores were compared at different time points between the groups and within them, and influence factors were analyzed. RESULTS There was no significant difference in TDI scores between both groups. Furthermore, TDI scores did not significantly change after one month of treatment in either of the groups. After 3 and 6 months of treatment, TDI scores both significantly increased, and the odor discrimination and identification abilities significantly strengthened in both groups; however, the odor thresholds did not improve. The course of the disease was a significant influencing factor on the therapeutic effect of olfactory training for both groups. CONCLUSION The combination of essential balm, vinegar, alcohol, and rose perfume for olfactory training, which are scents commonly found in daily life, can effectively cure URTI-induced olfactory dysfunction, and significantly improve the odor discrimination and identification abilities. Furthermore, prolonging the treatment time can help with the recovery of olfactory functions, and earlier olfactory training can improve the therapeutic effect.
RESUMO OBJETIVO Comparar duas combinações de agentes olfativos para uso em terapia de treinamento olfativo no tratamento de disfunção olfatória após infecção do trato respiratório superior (ITRS) e investigar os fatores que influenciam os efeitos clínicos. METODOLOGIA 125 pacientes com disfunção olfativa foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: teste e controle. Durante o treinamento olfativo, quatro odores foram utilizados em ambos os grupos. O treinamento olfativo durou 24 semanas. Em seguida, os participantes foram testados usando Sniffin' Sticks e o escore de discriminação, limiar e identificação (TDI) antes do tratamento e 1, 3 e 6 meses após o ele. Os escores de TDI foram comparados em momentos diferentes, entre os grupos e dentro deles, e os fatores de influência foram analisados. RESULTADOS Não houve diferença significativa nos escores de TDI entre os dois grupos. Além disso, os escores de TDI não demonstração nenhuma alteração significa após um mês de tratamento em ambos os grupos. Após 3 e 6 meses de tratamento, ambos os escores de TDI aumentaram significativamente, e as habilidades de identificação e discriminação de odores melhoraram significativamente em ambos os grupos; contudo, os limiares de odor não demonstraram melhora. O curso da doença foi um importante fator de influência no efeito terapêutico do treinamento olfativo em ambos os grupos. CONCLUSÃO A combinação de bálsamo essencial, vinagre, álcool, e perfume de rosas no treinamento olfativo, todos aromas comumente encontrados na vida cotidiana, podem efetivamente curar disfunção olfativa induzida por ITRS e melhorar significativamente as habilidades de discriminação e identificação de odores. Além disso, a prolongamento do tempo de tratamento pode ajudar na recuperação das funções olfativas, e o início antecipado do treinamento olfativo pode melhorar o efeito terapêutico.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Young Adult , Respiratory Tract Infections/complications , Olfaction Disorders/etiology , Olfaction Disorders/therapy , Odorants , Reference Values , Sensory Thresholds , Time Factors , Logistic Models , Prospective Studies , Regression Analysis , Treatment Outcome , Recovery of Function/physiology , Olfactometry , Middle AgedABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the major viral pathogens for infant diarrhea in Chizhou, Anhui.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fecal specimens were collected from 428 infants hospitalized with diarrhea in People's Hospital of Chizhou, Anhui between January 2005 and December 2006. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to detected specific antigens of rotavirus, astrovirus, adenovirus or calicivirus. For rotavirus, specimens were tested for typing by serum virology and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive test rates for rotavirus, calicivirus and adenovirus were 29.2%, 10.5% and 2.4%, respectively, in infants with diarrhea from Chizhou, Anhui. Among them, 3 cases (2.4%) were infected with two or more viruses. Forty-four fecal specimens were tested with ELISA and RT-PCR for rotavirus, and the results showed that the two methods got consistency of 97.7%. Another 48 rotaviruses of serotype G were further typed as serotype I (3 cases), II (1 case), III (35 cases) and IX (2 cases), with 7 cases untyped. Among the cases that could be typed, 26 cases were collected from 2005, and 15 from 2006. RV type ml was the major pathogens for infant diarrhea, with 24 from 2005 and 11 from 2006. Among the 8 rotaviruses of type P, 7 were type as G3P8 and one G9P8. The epidemic of rotavirus showed significant season privilege, with a high prevalence in winter-spring, while the prevalence of calicivirus was prone to be high in Fall.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rotavirus was the major viral pathogen accounting for infant diarrhea in Chizhou, Anhui, followed by calicivirus and adenovirus Type G3 was the main rotavirus, especially type G3P8.</p>