Diagnosis and Treatment Strategy of Nasogenic Olfactory Dysfunction

Abstract

Since the global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a symptom of the onset of SARS-CoV-2, olfactory dysfunction (OD), has attracted tremendous attention. OD is not only a negative factor for quality of life but also an independent hazard and early biomarker for various diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. Therefore, early identification and treatment of OD in patients are critical. Many etiological factors are responsible for OD based on current opinions. Sniffin’Sticks are recommended to identify the initial position (central or peripheral) for OD when treating patients clinically. It is worth emphasizing that the olfactory region in nasal cavity is recognized as the primary and critical olfactory receptor. Many nasal diseases, such as those with traumatic, obstructive and inflammatory causes, can lead to OD. The key question is no refined diagnosis or treatment strategy for nasogenic OD currently. This study summarizes the differences in medical history, symptoms, auxiliary examination, treatment and prognosis of different types of nasogenic OD by analyzing the current studies. We propose using olfactory training after 4–6 weeks of initial treatment for nasogenic OD patients with no significant improvement in olfaction. We hope that our research can provide valuable clinical guidance by systematically summarizing the clinical characteristics of nasogenic OD.