Mild traumatic brain injury: evaluation of olfactory dysfunction and clinical–neurological characteristics. (16th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ciofalo, Andrea; De Vincentiis, Marco; Iannella, Giannicola; Zambetti, Giampietro; Giacomello, Paola; Altissimi, Giancarlo; Greco, Antonio; Fusconi, Massimo; Pasquariello, Benedetta; Magliulo, Giuseppe
• Is Part Of: Brain injury. Volume 32:Number 5(2018)
• Page Start: 550
• Page End: 556
• Publication Date: 2018-04-16
• Subjects: Head trauma -- olfactory dysfunction -- Glasgow coma scale -- Sniffin' Sticks; Brain damage -- Periodicals; Brain -- Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Brain Injuries -- Periodicals; 617.481
• DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2018.1432074
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9052

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective : To evaluate olfactory function and clinical–neurological characteristics in a group of patients with mild head trauma. Methods : A total of 352 patients with MTBI underwent olfactory function evaluation. The site of head trauma, loss of consciousness <20 min, memory loss, subjective presence or absence of olfaction and other clinical, neurological and radiological aspects were evaluated and compared with the olfactory dysfunction. Results : A total of 33.5% patients enrolled in the study had an olfactory dysfunction. Eighty-seven percent of the patients had a diagnosis of anosmia whereas 13% had a diagnosis of hyposmia. Statistical analysis did not show a correlation between radiologically detected head lesions and different types of olfactory dysfunction ( p > 0.05). Besides, no difference between head lesion site and different olfactory dysfunction was reported ( p = 0.5). Regarding olfactory sub-tests a low detection threshold was present in these patients. Conclusion : The possibility of olfactory dysfunction should be considered in any case of MTBI appears differently than expected, a minor head injury causes anosmia much more frequently than hyposmia.