THE TREATMENT OF HYPOSMIA WITH INTRANASAL STEROIDS

Hyposmia is a neglected symptom in patients with rhinitis. We studied 25 patients presenting with perennial rhinitis. Fifteen patients expre ssed hyposmia as a significant symptom. University of Pennsylvania sme ll identification test (UPSIT) and visual analogue scales (VAS) were u sed to score the symptoms of hyposmia, nasal obstruction and nasal dis charge before and after six weeks treatment with betamethasone sodium phosphate drops. Those patients with initial symptoms of hyposmia sign ificantly improved their UPSIT scores (p = 0.00009) and their VAS scor es for hyposmia (p = 0.00133). Despite a significant decrease in the s ensation of nasal obstruction, the non-hyposmics showed no increase in UPSIT scores after betamethasone therapy. There was no clear correlat ion between UPSIT results and other symptom scores. The judicious use of betamethasone drops in the treatment of rhinogenic hyposmia can be recommended.