Variables associated with olfactory disorders in adults: A U.S. population‐based analysis

Abstract

ObjectiveOlfactory dysfunction is known to have significant social, psychological, and safety implications. Despite increasingly recognized prevalence, potential risk factors for olfactory loss have been arbitrarily documented and knowledge is limited in scale. The aim of this study is to identify potential demographic and exposure variables correlating with olfactory dysfunction.MethodsCross-sectional analysis of the 2011–2012 and 2013–2014 editions of the National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey was performed. The utilized survey reports from a nationally representative sample of about 5000 persons each year located in counties across the United States. There is an interview and physical examination component which includes demographic, socioeconomic, dietary, and health-related questions as well as medical, dental, physiologic measurements, and laboratory tests. 3594 adult respondents from 2011 to 2012 and 3708 respondents from 2013 to 2014 were identified from the above population-based database. The frequency of self-reported disorders as well as performance on odor identification testing was determined in relation to demographic factors, occupational or environmental exposures, and urinary levels of environmental and industrial compounds.ResultsIn both subjective and objective analysis, smell disorders were significantly more common with increasing age. While the non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic Asian populations were less likely to report subjective olfactory loss, they, along with Hispanics, performed more poorly on odor identification than Caucasians. Those with limited education had a decreased prevalence of hyposmia. Women outperformed men on smell testing. Those reporting exposure to vapors were more likely to experience olfactory dysfunction, and urinary levels of manganese, 2-Thioxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, and 2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid were lower among respondents with subjective smell disturbance. In odor detection, elevated serum levels of lead and urinary levels of 2,4 dichlorophenol were associated with anosmia and hyposmia, respectively.ConclusionsThis study provides current, population-based data identifying demographic and exposure elements related to smell disturbances in U.S. adults. Age, race, gender, education, exposure to vapors, urinary levels of manganese, 2-Thioxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, 2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid, 2,4 dichlorophenol, and serum lead levels were all implicated in smell disturbance. Care should be taken in interpretation due to lack of consistency between subjective and objective measures of olfaction as well as limitations related to population-based data. Prospective trials are indicated to further elucidate these relationships.

The use of platelet‐rich plasma in treatment of olfactory dysfunction: A pilot study

“…This is not surprising, as females tend to dominate the smell loss patient population. This is perhaps related to the greater subjective loss they may feel as a group, although population studies have shown that females tend to have higher baseline olfaction scores compared to male . Most patients suffered from a postviral smell loss etiology.…”

Affordable Rapid Olfaction Measurement Array: A Novel, Essential Oil-Based Test Strongly Correlated with UPSIT and Subjective Outcome Measures

“…1-4 Smell identification and discrimination directly reflect not only the health of the sinonasal cavity, but also the cognitive state and higher cortical centers as the olfactory fillae within the nasal cavity do not synapse prior to entry into the olfactory bulb and brain. 5-10…”

“…[1][2][3][4] Smell identification and discrimination directly reflect not only the health of the sinonasal cavity, but also the cognitive state and higher cortical centers as the olfactory fillae within the nasal cavity do not synapse prior to entry into the olfactory bulb and brain. [5][6][7][8][9][10] Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is common in many disease states. These include sinonasal diseases, 9,10 post-infectious disorders, 11,12 traumatic brain injuries, 3,13,14 and neurodegenerative disorders.…”

Risk of olfactory dysfunction of the workers in the automobile repair, printing, shoemaking and plating industries in Korea: a cross-sectional study

“…Olfactory dysfunction has been shown to decrease with age, 6–8 with the decline in cognitive function (including olfactory function) progressing more rapidly in men than women. 9 High body mass index (BMI), 10 cigarette smoking, 11 race, 12 socioeconomic status 12 13 and a history of head trauma 14 have been associated with olfactory dysfunction. Occupational and environmental factors, such as exposure to certain metals (eg, lead, 15 cadmium 16 and manganese 17 ), chemicals (eg, acetone, 18 hydrogen sulfide, 19 acrylate and methacrylate 20 ) and pesticides (eg, chlorpyrifos 21 and neonicotinoid 22 ), can also impact on olfactory function.…”