Olfactory disorders: distribution according to age and gender in 3,400 patients.

Aim of this investigation was to determine the distribution of gender and age with regard to major causes of olfactory loss, (1) trauma, (2) acute upper respiratory tract infections [URI], (3) sinunasal causes like sinusitis or nasal polyposis and (4) idiopathic. Data from more than 3,400 patients were used. In agreement with other studies, we found that (1) for trauma the female to male ratio was 0.80 and mean age was 46 years, (2) for URI the numbers were 2.39 and mean age was 57 years, (3) for sinunasal causes the numbers were 0.95 and 50 years, and (4) for idiopathic causes the female to male ratio was 1.13 and mean age was 57 years. These differences with regard to age and gender may indicate that hormonal changes may play a role in post-URI olfactory loss.