Allergic rhinitis causes loss of smell in children: The OLFAPEDRIAL study

作者：Langdon Cristobal; Maria Guilemany Jose; Valls Meritxell; Alobid Isam; Bartra Joan; Davila Ignacio; del Cuvillo Alfonso; Ferrer Marta; Jauregui Ignacio; Montoro Javier; Sastre Joaquin; Valero Antonio; Mullol Joaquim^*

来源：Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 2016, 27(8): 867-870.

DOI：10.1111/pai.12655

• allergic rhinitis
• Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma
• olfaction
• loss of smell

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.

• 出版日期2016-12