Evaluation of smell and taste in patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis

Abstract

Although a reduced olfactory/gustatory function affects patients in all parts of life, this problem has not received much attention in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). The aim of this study was to assess the smell/taste function of WG patients. Demographic data of 16 WG patients (9 males, 7 females) were obtained. They all subjectively assessed their taste/smell function on visual analogue scale. Olfactory/gustatory functions of the patients were tested with 'Sniffin' Sticks and 'Taste' strips, respectively. The results were then compared with those from sex and age-matched control group (n = 16) and normative data. WG patients subjectively assessed their olfactory (p = 0.03) and gustatory (p = 0.02) function to be lower than control group. All the olfactory scores (odour identification, odour discrimination and threshold) in both genders were significantly below the scores in the control group. WG patients were hyposmic. For taste (total taste score, as well as scores for the qualities sweet, sour, salty and bitter), WG patients did not significantly differ from controls and were normogeusic. However, the gustatory scores showed the tendency of reduction as compared to the control group. In conclusion, WG patients truly suffer from olfactory/taste dysfunction, but this is worse with olfaction. It is, therefore, imperative that physicians should make their patients to be aware of these sensory dysfunctions and educate them on methods to cope with it for better quality of life.

Smell and Taste in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…Additionally, the UC patients rated their olfactory and gustatory functions on the VAS as 80.3±18.0 and 79.3±18.5, respectively. Using the same method, Fasunla et al [26] assessed olfactory and gustatory functions on the VAS in 16 healthy individuals and reported values of 83.8±10.4 for smell and of 83.5±10.4 for taste. In addition, Steinbach et al [27] reported values of 85.9±10.6 for smell and of 82.9±19.2 for taste in 87 patients with gynecological tumors after the operations and before the initiation of chemotherapy.…”

“…In addition, Steinbach et al [27] reported values of 85.9±10.6 for smell and of 82.9±19.2 for taste in 87 patients with gynecological tumors after the operations and before the initiation of chemotherapy. However, patients suffering from Wegener's granulomatosis [26] or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia [28] reported values of 65.7±36.8 or 65.3±27.7, respectively, for smell and 67.2±30.0 or 68.1±25.1, respectively, for taste. This means that IBD patients are hardly aware of their objectively reduced olfactory and gustatory functions.…”

“…In our study, patients were asked to subjectively assess parosmia and phantosmia on a VAS (0 = no parosmia/phantosmia; 100 = strong parosmia/phantosmia). The CD and UC patients assessed parosmia as low, whereas the UC patients (10.3±18.5) assumed phantosmia much more intensive than the CD patients (1.8±8.6) or the patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (6.4±18.5) and Wegener's granulomatosis (0.5±2.0), using the same method based on a VAS [26], [56]. Reden et al [57] did, however, show that phantosmia has no prognostic significance in patients suffering from olfactory dysfunctions.…”

Evaluation of Olfaction in Patients with Pemphigus Vulgaris

“…The observer was asked to make a mark along the horizontal scale, and numeric scores were obtained by measuring the horizontal distance from the left end of the scale and rounded to the nearest millimeter. VAS scores were evalu- 10 A well-established orthonasal olfaction test that was developed at the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) was used. The CCCRC test includes a butanol threshold test and an odor identification test that uses common odors.…”

Butane‐2,3‐dione: the Key Contributor to Axillary and Foot Odor Associated with an Acidic Note

“…In addition, these butane-2,3-dione-generating constituents (e.g., l-lactate and Staphylococcus species) are also known to be present in individuals of other ethnicities and in female subjects [33 -36], leading us to speculate that our findings may be valid in these populations as well. VAS as a psychophysical assessment has been previously performed for measuring the irritation and itching of the skin [37], and for evaluating sensations of smell and taste [38]. Using VAS, Platek et al demonstrated gender differences in the recognition of the subjects own body odors [39].…”