• Xiao-Feng Qiao, Yin-Huan Bai, Guo-Ping Wang, Xin Li, and Wei Zheng.
• . Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2020 Jan 1; 66 (1): 18-24.

ObjectiveTo compare two combinations of olfactory agents for olfactory training therapy of olfactory dysfunction after upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and investigate the influencing factors on clinical effects.Methods125 patients with olfactory dysfunction were randomly divided into two groups: test and control. During the olfactory training, four odors were used in both groups. The olfactory training lasted for 24 weeks. Then, participants were tested using Sniffin' Sticks and threshold-discrimination-identification (TDI) composite scoring before treatment and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The TDI scores were compared at different time points between the groups and within them, and influence factors were analyzed.ResultsThere was no significant difference in TDI scores between both groups. Furthermore, TDI scores did not significantly change after one month of treatment in either of the groups. After 3 and 6 months of treatment, TDI scores both significantly increased, and the odor discrimination and identification abilities significantly strengthened in both groups; however, the odor thresholds did not improve. The course of the disease was a significant influencing factor on the therapeutic effect of olfactory training for both groups.ConclusionThe combination of essential balm, vinegar, alcohol, and rose perfume for olfactory training, which are scents commonly found in daily life, can effectively cure URTI-induced olfactory dysfunction, and significantly improve the odor discrimination and identification abilities. Furthermore, prolonging the treatment time can help with the recovery of olfactory functions, and earlier olfactory training can improve the therapeutic effect.

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