Olfactory dysfunction in children is associated with atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis, but not bronchial asthma.

AIMS: To investigate associations between olfactory dysfunction and atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR), and bronchial asthma (BA) in children.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

In a prospective study, 250 children (6 - 17 years) with AD, AR, BA, combined atopy, or healthy controls (n = 50 each) were assessed using olfactory tests ("Sniffin' Sticks", "U-Sniff"), questionnaires, prick tests, and spirometry.

RESULTS

Atopic patients showed poorer odor identification than controls. Children with AD had impaired odor identification. AR patients displayed more hyposmia in threshold testing, but mean scores did not differ significantly. BA patients showed no significant impairment, though lung function correlated positively with olfactory performance.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric AD and AR are associated with specific olfactory dysfunctions, whereas BA is not. Awareness of olfactory deficits in these groups is warranted; further studies should assess neurodevelopmental aspects in AD.