Open AccessPosition paper on olfactory dysfunction
Author(s) -
Thomas Hummel,
Katherine L. Whitcroft,
Peter Andrews,
Aytuğ Altundağ,
C Cinghi,
Richard M. Costanzo,
Michael Damm,
Johannes Frasnelli,
H. Gudziol,
Neelima Gupta,
Antje Haehner,
Eric H. Holbrook,
Seokchan Hong,
David E. Hornung,
K.-B. Hüttenbrink,
Rasha Kamel,
Masayoshi Kobayashi,
Iordanis Konstantinidis,
Basile Nicolas Landis,
Donald A. Leopold,
Alberto Macchi,
Takaki Miwa,
R Moesges,
Joaquim Mullol,
Christian A. Mueller,
Giancarlo Ottaviano,
Giulio Cesare Passàli,
Carl Philpott,
Jayant M. Pinto,
V J Ramakrishnan,
Philippe Rombaux,
Yehudah Roth,
Rodney Schlosser,
Beatrice Shu,
Graciela M Soler,
Pär Stjärne,
Boris A. Stuck,
Jan Vodička,
Antje WelgeLüessen
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
rhinology (amsterdam. online)/rhinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1996-8604
pISSN - 0300-0729
DOI - 10.4193/rhino16.248
Subject(s) - medicine , hyposmia , position paper , identification (biology) , intensive care medicine , consistency (knowledge bases) , pathology , disease , artificial intelligence , computer science , botany , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty) , biology
Olfactory dysfunction is an increasingly recognised condition, associated with reduced quality of life and major health outcomes such as neurodegeneration and death. However, translational research in this field is limited by heterogeneity in methodological approach, including definitions of impairment, improvement and appropriate assessment techniques. Accordingly, effective treatments for smell loss are limited. In an effort to encourage high quality and comparable work in this field, among others, we propose the following ideas and recommendations. Whilst the full set of recommendations are outlined in the main document, points include the following: - Patients with suspected olfactory loss should undergo a full examination of the head and neck, including rigid nasal endoscopy with small diameter endoscopes. - Subjective olfactory assessment should not be undertaken in isolation, given its poor reliability. - Psychophysical assessment tools used in clinical and research settings should include reliable and validated tests of odour threshold, and/or one of odour identification or discrimination. - Comprehensive chemosensory assessment should include gustatory screening. - Smell training can be helpful in patients with olfactory loss of several aetiologies.