A Cross-sectional Study on Olfactory Function among Young Adult Smokers

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Title A Cross-sectional Study on Olfactory Function among Young Adult Smokers
 
Creator Maria Cristina C. da Silva; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,St. Luke’s Medical Center
Windolyn D. Panganiban; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,St. Luke’s Medical Center
 
Subject Otorhinolaryngology
Olfaction, Smoking,, Hyposmia, Anosmia
 
Description Objective: To determine the olfactory function and/ or dysfunction of young adults who arecigarette smokers using a locally validated smell identification test.Design: Cross-sectional studySetting: Tertiary hospital in Metro ManilaPatients: The volunteer study group was composed of 60 male and 21 female students andemployees of a tertiary hospital and its affiliated medical school (both in Quezon City). Allsubjects were young adults within the age range of 20-35 years with a mean age of 27. 58 years(±4.33). All the subjects were currently smoking cigarettes with no medical history of recent viralinfection, nasal/sinus surgery, nasal/brain tumors, head trauma, radiotherapy, chronic rhinitidesin exacerbation or tracheostomy. Olfactory function of each subject was evaluated using the Sto.Tomas Smell Identification Test (ST-SIT) which is a locally-validated test.Results: Majority of the subjects fell within the 24-27 age group with a mean age of 27.58years (±4.33). Males outnumbered females 74.1% as against 25.9%. An inverse relation betweenpack years and ST-SIT score was present indicating that there could be a dose-related effect ofcigarette smoking on olfactory function.Among the 81 subjects, 15 (18.5%) turned out to be anosmic, 46 (56.7%) were hyposmicand 20 (24.6%) had normal olfactory function. A mean ST-SIT score was computed at 81.183(±}12.58), indicating that majority of the subjects had olfactory dysfunction, meaning they werehyposmic.Conclusion: Smoking cigarettes has become part of the lifestyle of a lot of people in spite ofits hazards to health. In the present study, a majority of supposedly healthy young adults whocurrently smoked cigarettes were proven to suffer from olfactory impairment based on thescores of a locally-validated smell identification test. An inverse relation between ST-SIT scoresand pack years was also noted which may indicate a dose-related effect of smoking on olfactoryfunction.Keywords: Olfaction, Smoking,, Hyposmia, Anosmia 
 
Publisher Philippine Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Inc
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2010-07-16
 
Type Peer-Reviewed Article
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Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.philjol.info/index.php/PJOHNS/article/view/1626
 
Source Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery; Vol 21, No 1 & 2 (2006); 28-30
 
Language en
 
Coverage Philippines
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