■原著
新型コロナウイルス感染症による嗅覚障害に対する嗅覚刺激療法の有用性の検討
川口 夕紀1, 吉野 綾穂2, 小町 太郎1, 新井 琴子1, 大久保 公裕2
1日本医科大学千葉北総病院耳鼻咽喉科
2日本医科大学付属病院耳鼻咽喉科・頭頸部外科
Retrospective Study of the Effectiveness of Olfactory Training in COVID-19 Patients with Olfactory Dysfunction
Yuki Kawaguchi1, Ayaho Yoshino2, Taro Komachi1, Kotoko Arai1 and Kimihiro Okubo2
1)Department of Otolaryngology, Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital
2)Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Nippon Medical School Hospital
Objective: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common and distinctive symptom in patients with COVID-19. To date, no standardized treatment for COVID-19-associated OD has been established, but olfactory training (OT) is a promising therapeutic intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of OT in the treatment of postinfectious OD, with several investigations demonstrating the effectiveness of OT in addressing OD associated with COVID-19. In this study, we conducted a retrospective investigation to evaluate the effectiveness of OT and to determine the optimal duration of OT for managing COVID-19-associated OD.
Methods: Patients received an OT kit containing four odorants (rose, eucalyptus, lemon, and clove) and were instructed to sniff each one for 10 seconds, twice daily. To assess olfactory function, participants completed the Self-Administered Odor Questionnaire (SAOQ), Visual Analog Scale for Smell (VAS), T&T olfactometry, and an intravenous olfactory test, which were performed at baseline (pre-OT) and at three post-OT intervals (3 months, 6 months, and 1 year).
Results: Seventeen participants (mean age: 39.7 years, SD: 13) completed the study. Significant improvements were observed in SAOQ, VAS and intravenous olfactory test following OT. Specifically, significant differences were identified between the pre-OT and 1-year post-OT for both SAOQ and VAS (p=0.021, p=0.021, respectively). Additionally, significant differences were noted between the 3-month post-OT and 1-year post-OT for the same measures (p=0.021, p=0.004, respectively). For the intravenous olfactory test, a significant difference was observed in detection time scores between the 3-month post-OT and 6-month post-OT (p=0.031). No significant changes were observed in the T&T olfactometry score.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that OT led to notable enhancements in olfactory function in patients with COVID-19-associated OD. In terms of the duration of OT, our results indicate there are progressive benefits of OT over time.
日医大医会誌 2025; 21(3), 246-253
Key words
olfactory training, olfactory dysfunction, COVID-19, T&T olfactometry, intravenous olfactory test
Correspondence to
Yuki Kawaguchi, Department of Otolaryngology, Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital, 1715 Kamagari, Inzai, Chiba 270-1694, Japan
E-mail：y-kawaguguchi@nms.ac.jp
受付：2025年1月30日 受理：2025年3月11日 |
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