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The treatment of hyposmia with intranasal steroids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

David G. Golding-Wood ,
Mats Holmstrom ,
Yvonne Darby ,
Glenis K. Scadding  and
Valerie J. Lund
David G. Golding-Wood*
Affiliation:
The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London, UK.
Mats Holmstrom
Affiliation:
The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London, UK.
Yvonne Darby
Affiliation:
The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London, UK.
Glenis K. Scadding
Affiliation:
The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London, UK.
Valerie J. Lund
Affiliation:
The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London, UK.
*
Address for correspondence: Mr D. G. Golding-Wood, F.R.C.S., The Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, Farnborough Hospital, Farnborough Common, Orpington, Kent, BR6 8ND.
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Abstract

Hyposmia is a neglected symptom in patients with rhinitis. We studied 25 patients presenting with perennial rhinitis. Fifteen patients expressed hyposmia as a significant symptom. University of Pennsylvania smell identification test (UPSIT) and visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to score the symptoms of hyposmia, nasal obstruction and nasal discharge before and after six weeks treatment with betamethasone sodium phosphate drops. Those patients with initial symptoms of hyposia significantly improved their UPSIT scores (p = 0.00009) and their VAS scores for hyposmia (p = 0.00133). Despite a significant decrease in the sensation of nasal obstruction, the non-hyposmics showed no increase in UPSIT scores after betamethasone therapy. There was no clear correlation between UPSIT results and other symptom scores. The judicious use of betamethasone drops in the treatment of rhinogenic hyposmia can be recommended.

Keywords

HyposmiaBetamethasoneRhinitis

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 110 , Issue 2 , February 1996 , pp. 132 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1996

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