Analysis of Characteristics and Steroid Effects in Olfactory Dysfunction Patients

Sung-Ho CHOI; Seon-Tae KIM; Hyoung-Min PARK; Kwang-Ha MOON; Joo-Hyun JUNG; Heung-Eog CHA

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES:

Olfactory dysfunction is a common sensory disorder, but there are currently no standard diagnostics or therapeutic methods. We analyzed the effects of systemic steroid therapy in patients with olfactory dysfunction. MATERIALS AND

METHOD:

We analyzed patients who visited our ENT department with olfactory dysfunction for 3 years. We reviewed their charts and classified the patients according to age, sex, etiology of olfactory dysfunction, degrees of olfactory dysfunction and the effect of systemic steroid therapy.

RESULTS:

The mean age was 44.3 years old and there were 50 males and 55 females; 55 patients had inflammatory disease and 50 patients had non-inflammatory disease. The distribution of degrees of olfactory disorder according to cause was not significantly different (p=0.120). In 105 patients, 20% experienced improvements after systemic steroid therapy, and the response of systemic steroid therapy was better among patients with inflammatory causes. In cases of inflammatory disease, there was a larger amount of severe hyposmia patients, and their response to systemic steroid therapy was significant (p=0.015). Patients with mild and moderate hyposmia were more responsive to systemic steroid therapy than patients with severe hyposmia (p=0.382).

CONCLUSION:

In cases of hyposmia due to inflammatory disease, systemic steroid therapy with proper operative management may increase therapeutic effects.

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