Olfactory Function After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery declines with age, Study reports

The study is published in the Ear, Nose & Throat Journal.

Weiping Qi and colleagues from the Department of ENT, Baoji Central Hospital, Baoji, Shaanxi Province, China conducted the present study with the sole aim to study the effects of age on the olfactory function recovery of chronic rhinosinusitis patients after endoscopic sinus surgery and related risk factors.

The authors enrolled a total of 176 chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients. All the patients were divided into child, youth, middle-aged, and elderly groups. Their baseline data, T&T olfactory test score, visual analogue scale (VAS) olfactory score, sinus computed tomography (CT) Lund-Mackay score, and Lund-Kennedy score were compared. Based on postoperative olfactory function, they were divided into good and poor improvement groups.

The following key findings were noted and reported-

1. Complication with nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis history, and sinus surgery history had significant differences among patients of different ages (P < .05).
2. Three months after surgery, T&T olfactory, VAS olfactory, Lund-Mackay, and Lund-Kennedy scores all rose with increasing age, with significant differences between any 2 groups (P < .05).
3. The improvement of postoperative olfactory function became poorer with aging (P < .05).
4. T&T and VAS olfactory scores had significant positive correlations with Lund-Mackay and Lund-Kennedy scores (P < .001).
5. Age, preoperative Lund-Mackay and Lund-Kennedy scores, complication with nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis history, sinus surgery history, and postoperative complications were risk factors for the poor improvement of postoperative olfactory function.
6. Doctor-directed treatment was a protective factor for good improvement.

Hence, the authors concluded that "the improvement of olfactory function of CRS patients after endoscopic sinus surgery declines with aging. Age, preoperative Lund-Mackay and Lund-Kennedy scores, complication with nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis history, sinus surgery history, and postoperative complications are risk factors for the poor improvement of postoperative olfactory function. Doctor-directed treatment is a protective factor for good improvement."