How do children with adenoid hypertrophy smell and taste?: Clinical assessment of olfactory function pre- and post-adenoidectomy

Abstract

To assess the ability to smell and appreciate food in children with adenoid hypertrophy pre and post-adenoidectomy. A total of 35 children with adenoid hypertrophy admitted for adenoidectomy (aged 5-9.3 years, mean age 5.9 years) were tested preoperatively. In a follow up appointment 3 months postoperatively, 28 of them returned and were tested again. The control group consisted of 30 healthy children (aged 5-10.2 years, mean age 6.1 years). Orthonasal olfactory function was assessed psychophysically using "Sniffin sticks" 12 item odor identification test. Retronasal olfaction was assessed using a collection of 12 grocery available powders applied to the oral cavity. Both orthonasal and retronasal olfactory function of the study group preoperatively were significantly lower in comparison with the results of the control group (p<0.0001). The difference in retronasal olfaction between groups was significantly higher in comparison with the difference in orthonasal odor identification (p=0.048). There is a strong correlation between adenoid hypertrophy grade and retronasal testing results (t=-5.461, p<0.0001), but not with the orthonasal results (t=-1.677, p=0.9). Significant improvement of orthonasal and retronasal olfaction was observed in the follow-up appointment (p<0.0001). Relative increase postoperatively was higher for the retronasal olfaction compared to orthonasal olfaction (p=0.0029). Children with adenoid hypertrophy have a reduced ability to smell, with retronasal olfactory function being more affected. Surgery had a greater impact on retronasal olfaction.