Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2008 Aug;51(8):717-721.

Clinical Analysis of the Etiology of Korean Olfactory Disorders

• Hong SC
• Ahn JY
• Cho JH
• Lim DJ
• Park GH

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
This study examined the causes and epidemiologic factors of smell loss in Koreans using the Korean Version of the Sniffin' Sticks Test and compared the results with cases of foreign countries.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
The data of 386 patients who visited clinics complaining of smell loss were retrospectively analyzed with medical charts.
RESULTS
Idiopathic, upper respiratory tract infection, trauma, nasal and paranasal sinus disease were the major causes of smell loss in this study. The distribution of gender and age, severity of smell loss, association of smell loss with allergies and nasal polyps were discussed in detail.
CONCLUSION
The proportion of each cause observed in this study was different compared with the results of other domestic reports of nasal and paranasal sinus disease, but came out similar to the results of foreign studies.

Keyword

Olfactory disorders; Etiology; Korean

MeSH Terms

Epidemiologic Factors
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Nasal Polyps
Paranasal Sinus Diseases
Porphyrins
Respiratory Tract Infections
Retrospective Studies
Smell
Porphyrins