Olfactory dysfunction after head injury.
J Head Trauma Rehabil
; 23(6): 407-13, 2008.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19033834
OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of olfactory dysfunction after head trauma using clinical and radiologic findings, quantitative assessment, and electro-physiologic methods. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 190 patients with head trauma of different severity (n = 32 with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), n = 94 with signs of moderate TBI, and n = 64 with severe TBI) 6 to 32 months prior to the study. DESIGN: Patients were selected retrospectively, surveyed by telephone (n = 190), and screened for olfactory function with Brief Smell Identification Test (n = 82). Those with olfactory dysfunction were assessed as outpatients using the Sniffin' Sticks (n = 19) and olfactory-evoked potential recording (n = 16). RESULTS: Twenty-one participants (11%) reported a decreased sense of smell after trauma. The incidence of olfactory dysfunction after head injury was 12.8%. The results of the odor-evoked potentials were heterogeneous. A significant correlation was found between olfactory dysfunction and the appearance of skull base fractures and intracranial hemorrhage or hematoma. CONCLUSION: The site of trauma may be more relevant to prognosis than a simple probability (of olfactory loss) based on incidence. Odor-evoked potentials indicate that functional anosmia can occur even when there is some evidence of intact olfactory nerve function.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sensory Thresholds
/
Brain Injuries
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Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic
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Olfaction Disorders
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
J Head Trauma Rehabil
Year:
2008
Document type:
Article