Olfactory dysfunction in leprosy.

Laryngoscope

Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Published: March 2006

Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is associated with a high incidence of nasal pathology. Despite this fact, the influence of this disorder on the sense of smell is poorly understood. In this study, we administered a standardized 12-item odor identification test to 77 patients with three types of leprosy: tuberculoid (n = 9), borderline (n = 42), and lepromatous (n = 26). All three types exhibited significantly lower test scores than their respective age-, sex-, and smoking-habit-matched controls. Patients with lepromatous leprosy exhibited significantly lower test scores than those with the other two types. Only patients with lepromatous leprosy exhibited meaningful improvement in smell function after treatment. No association between disease duration, per se, and the severity of the olfactory deficit was present. Overall, 100% of the patients exhibited olfactory dysfunction, suggesting that earlier prevalence estimates based on nonstandardized olfactory testing have underestimated the prevalence of this problem.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.MLG.0000195001.03483.F2DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

olfactory dysfunction
8
three types
8
exhibited lower
8
lower test
8
test scores
8
patients lepromatous
8
lepromatous leprosy
8
leprosy exhibited
8
leprosy
5
olfactory
4

Similar Publications

Rotenone, a naturally occurring compound derived from the roots of tropical plants, is used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It is a classical, high-affinity mitochondrial complex I inhibitor that causes not only oxidative stress, α-synuclein phosphorylation, DJ-1 (Parkinson's disease protein 7) modifications, and inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system but it is also widely considered an environmental contributor to Parkinson's disease (PD). While prodromal symptoms, such as loss of smell, constipation, sleep disorder, anxiety/depression, and the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of rotenone-treated animals, have been reported, alterations of metabolic hormones and hyperinsulinemia remain largely unknown and need to be investigated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Following the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many patients have reported ongoing smell and taste issues. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction among patients with a history of COVID-19 and its association with autonomic dysfunction and disability.

Patient And Methods: This case-control study included a COVID-19 group (n = 82) and a control group (n = 82).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Correlation Between Indoxyl Sulfate in Chronic Kidney Disease and Olfactory Dysfunction.

Iran J Otorhinolaryngol

January 2025

Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jl. Dr. Mansur No. 5, Medan, 20155, INDONESIA.

Introduction: Olfactory dysfunction is prevalent among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with prevalence escalating alongside disease severity. The uremic toxin we observed in this study is Indoxyl sulfate (IS), a potent uremic toxin that markedly accumulates in the plasma of patients with chronic insufficiency. Olfactory damage may occur in the setting of neuronal damage due to renal failure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder oftentimes associated with abnormal social behaviors and altered sensory responsiveness. It is hypothesized that the inappropriate filtering of sensory stimuli, including olfaction, can lead to aberrant social behavior in FXS. However, previous studies investigating olfaction in animal models of FXS have shown inconsistent results.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Patients with Moyamoya disease (MMD) exhibit significant alterations in brain structure and function, but knowledge regarding gray matter networks is limited. The study enrolled 136 MMD patients and 99 healthy controls (HCs). Clinical characteristics and gray matter network topology were analyzed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!