ABSTRACT
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Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Adult , Laryngitis/complications , Laryngitis/diagnosis , Laryngitis/therapy , Dysphonia/complications , Dysphonia/diagnosis , Dysphonia/therapy , Diagnosis, Differential , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/adverse effects , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/analysis , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use , Radiography, Thoracic/instrumentation , Radiography, Thoracic/methods , Radiography, ThoracicABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The objective of the OLFAPEDRIAL study was to assess the olfactory dysfunction in allergic paediatric population, which has been scarcely studied. METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional and multicentre study evaluated the sense of smell in untreated allergic rhinitis (AR) paediatric patients aged 6-12 years. RESULTS: Forty-four per cent (551 of 1260) of children with AR reported smell dysfunction, with both loss of smell frequency (52.1%, p < 0.001) and intensity (0.75 ± 0.84, p < 0.0001) being more frequent in patients with persistent than intermittent AR (38.0% and 0.51 ± 0.73, respectively). In addition, both loss of smell frequency and intensity increased according to disease severity (m-ARIA classification) but always being significantly higher in persistent (p < 0.0001) than in intermittent AR. CONCLUSIONS: Children with allergic rhinitis present a mild-moderate loss of smell frequency and intensity which is clearly related to the disease duration and severity. The loss of smell can be considered, as in adults, a clinical marker of disease severity.