Biomedical subjects

Christian Quint

Publications and source records attributed to Christian Quint.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Characteristics of olfactory disorders in relation to major causes of olfactory loss.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the consequences of olfactory loss and explore specific questions related to the effect of duration of olfactory loss, degree of olfactory sensitivity, and cause of the olfactory loss. PATIENTS: A total of 278 consecutive patients with hyposmia or anosmia were examined. RESULTS: Causes of olfactory loss were categorized as follows: trauma (17%), upper respiratory tract infection (URI) (39%), sinonasal disease (21%), congenital anosmia (3%), idiopathic causes (18%), or other causes (3%). Our data suggest that (1) recovery rate was higher in URI olfactory loss than in olfactory loss from other causes; (2) likelihood of recovery seemed to decrease with increased duration of olfactory loss; and (3) the elderly are more prone to URI olfactory loss than younger patients. Regarding changes in quality of life (QoL), we found that (1) in most patients olfactory loss caused food-related problems; (2) loss in QoL did not change with duration of olfactory loss; (3) younger patients had more complaints than older ones, and women had more complaints than men; (4) complaint scores were higher in hyposmic patients than in anosmic patients; and (5) self-rated depression did not relate to measured olfactory function. CONCLUSIONS: Among many complaints of olfactory loss, the predominant ones were food related. This loss in QoL seemed to be of greater importance in younger than in older people, and women seem to be affected more strongly than men.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2002

Dysphagia due to a large schwannoma of the oropharynx: case report and review of the literature.

Schwannoma is a benign, encapsulated tumor that is derived from Schwann cells. Approximately 25% to 45% of schwannomas occur in the head and neck. The most common site is the parapharyngeal space of the neck; intrapharyngeal occurrence is extremely rare. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a pedunculated schwannoma in the supraglottic oropharynx. Because of the location and mass of the tumor, the main symptom was dysphagia. The tumor was excised via direct microlaryngoscopy, and no recurrence was seen after 2 years of follow-up. When schwannomas are located in the pharynx, they may cause dyspnea and dysphagia or impair phonation. Therefore, when dysphagia is present, a thorough diagnostic procedure should be performed to evaluate the morphology and function of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

The quinoxaline derivative caroverine in the treatment of sensorineural smell disorders: a proof-of-concept study.

The treatment of non-conductive olfactory disorders is to a large extent an unsolved problem. This proof-of-concept study focused on possible effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist caroverine. Potential mechanisms for the hypothesized effect included reduced feedback inhibition in the olfactory bulb as a consequence of NMDA antagonistic actions and antagonism of an excitotoxic action of glutamate. A total of 77 consecutive patients with non-conductive olfactory disorders were included in the study. Fifty-one patients received caroverine for 4 weeks (120 mg/day); 26 controls matched for age, gender and duration of olfactory loss were treated with zinc sulfate for the same length of time (400 mg/day). Olfactory sensitivity was evaluated before and after treatment. Testing included assessment of n-butanol odor threshold and odor identification. When compared to baseline, treatment with caroverine improved both odor thresholds (p = 0.005) and odor identification (p = 0.042) in anosmic patients. In hyposmic patients it significantly improved odor identification ability (p = 0.041). In contrast, zinc sulfate had no significant effect on olfactory function. These results indicate that caroverine appears to be effective for the treatment of non-conductive smell disorders.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Olfactory function in chronic renal failure.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) show a high prevalence of poor nutritional state so that dietary treatment becomes a significant part of the therapeutic regimen. Because smell plays an important role in nutrition, this study aimed to investigate olfactory function in CRF patients. METHODS: A total of 64 CRF patients were investigated. Forty-nine of them were treated with hemodialysis, 15 CRF patients were not dialysis dependent. For comparison we examined 15 healthy subjects. Olfactory function was assessed for odor discrimination, odor identification, and butanol odor thresholds. RESULTS: Olfactory loss was found in 56% of the patients, with 3 functional anosmics and 33 hyposmics. CRF had specific effects on individual tests of olfactory function. Elevated odor thresholds werefound in 11% of patients, 38% of patients had reduced odor discrimination, and 48% of patients exhibited deficits in odor identification. Results of psychological tests (Mini-Mental State Examination and Trail-Making Test) correlated with results from odor identification (p < 0.01) and discrimination (p < 0.01) but not with odor thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to discriminate and identify odors was found severely impaired whereas odor thresholds were similar to what is seen in the general population. Consequently, CRF patients should be counseled with regard to the possibility of reduced chemosensory functions.

Adult↗