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Physiology & Behavior Jan 2024Pregnancy is a transformative phase marked by significant behavioral and physiological changes. Substantial changes in pregnancy-related hormones are thought to induce... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Pregnancy is a transformative phase marked by significant behavioral and physiological changes. Substantial changes in pregnancy-related hormones are thought to induce changes in chemosensory perception, as often observed in non-human animals. However, empirical behavioral research on pregnancy-related olfactory or gustatory changes has not yet reached a consensus. This PROSPERO pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated published data of olfactory and gustatory changes in pregnant individuals, across the three pregnancy trimesters and postpartum period. Our comprehensive search strategy identified 20 relevant studies, for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that pregnant individuals, regardless of trimester, performed significantly poorer in terms of odour identification, however, no difference was detected between non-pregnant controls and women postpartum. Additionally, pregnant women in the second and third trimester rated olfactory stimuli to be more intense. A slight decline in odour pleasantness ratings was observed amongst those in the second trimester. No major difference was observed between pregnant and non-pregnant subjects in terms of gustatory functions, except the first trimester appeared to be associated with increased pleasantness for the sweet taste. Post-hoc meta-regression analyses revealed that pregnancy stage was a significant predictor for observed effect size for odour intensity ratings, but not for odour identification scores. These findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between pregnancy and chemosensory perception, highlighting systematic physiological changes due to pregnancy. Healthcare providers can also utilize the knowledge of sensory shifts to better support pregnant women in making appropriate dietary choices, managing sense-related discomfort, and leading to potential sensory interventions. Overall, this research enhances our comprehension of sensory shifts during pregnancy, benefiting maternal health and pregnancy-related care.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Postpartum Period; Smell; Taste Perception; Diet; Odorants
PubMed: 37890603
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114388 -
World Journal of Oncology Oct 2023To date, early cancer detection is considered vital to reduce the global cancer burden through low-cost, but accurate screening modalities. The anatomical positioning of...
BACKGROUND
To date, early cancer detection is considered vital to reduce the global cancer burden through low-cost, but accurate screening modalities. The anatomical positioning of prostate cancer (PCa) created a potentially distinctive diagnostic method through the identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine, which might be detectable not by humans but by canine species. This review aimed to capture the potential of the medical detection canine (MDC) to detect PCa by providing its diagnostic accuracy estimation on urine odor testing.
METHODS
Databases, e.g., MEDLINE, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest, were searched to identify the studies. We focused on accessible original research, comparing the diagnostic utility of trained female MDC and histopathology examination as the gold standard for PCa diagnosis. The statistical analysis was performed in Meta-DiSc 1.4 and presented in diagnostic values, i.e., sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), positive or negative likelihood ratio (LR+ or LR-), diagnostic odd ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) value, to conclude the Sn-Sp in a single outcome.
RESULTS
Female German Shepherds were the most commonly utilized MDC from the five studies included in the final analysis. We estimate the pooled diagnostic value of eight different MDCs, with the findings as follows: Sn (0.95 (0.94 - 0.97)), Sp (0.92 (0.90 - 0.93)), LR+ (4.48 (1.90 - 10.58)), LR- (0.12 (0.01 - 1.42)), DOR (35.39 (2.90 - 432.53)), and an AUC value of 0.9232.
CONCLUSIONS
MDC's olfaction ability holds considerable potential on its diagnostic accuracies to distinguish the urine of PCa individuals by identifying its volatilome property.
PubMed: 37869239
DOI: 10.14740/wjon1635 -
Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy... 2023More than six million people died due to COVID-19, and 10-15% of infected individuals suffer from post-covid syndrome. Corticosteroids are widely used in the management...
BACKGROUND
More than six million people died due to COVID-19, and 10-15% of infected individuals suffer from post-covid syndrome. Corticosteroids are widely used in the management of severe COVID-19 and post-acute COVID-19 symptoms. This study synthesizes current evidence of the effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on mortality, hospital length-of-stay (LOS), and improvement of smell scores in patients with COVID-19.
METHODS
We searched Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus until Aug 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of studies. We evaluated the effectiveness of ICS in COVID-19 patients through measures of mortality, LOS, alleviation of post-acute COVID-19 symptoms, time to sustained self-reported cure, and sense of smell (visual analog scale (VAS)).
RESULTS
Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. Our study showed a significant decrease in the LOS in ICS patients over placebo (MD = -1.52, 95% CI [-2.77 to -0.28], = 0.02). Patients treated with intranasal corticosteroids (INC) showed a significant improvement in VAS smell scores from week three to week four (MD =1.52, 95% CI [0.27 to 2.78], = 0.02), and alleviation of COVID-related symptoms after 14 days (RR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.09 to 1.26], < 0.0001). No significant differences were detected in mortality (RR= 0.69, 95% CI [0.36 to 1.35], = 0.28) and time to sustained self-reported cure (MD = -1.28, 95% CI [-6.77 to 4.20], = 0.65).
CONCLUSION
We concluded that the use of ICS decreased patient LOS and improved COVID-19-related symptoms. INC may have a role in improving the smell score. Therefore, using INC and ICS for two weeks or more may prove beneficial. Current data do not demonstrate an effect on mortality or time to sustained self-reported cure. However, the evidence is inconclusive, and more studies are needed for more precise data.
PubMed: 37781348
DOI: 10.29390/001c.84260 -
Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal Sep 2023Olfactory dysfunction can negatively impact the quality of life and increase the risk of danger from warning odors. Various factors can cause olfactory dysfunction,...
Olfactory dysfunction can negatively impact the quality of life and increase the risk of danger from warning odors. Various factors can cause olfactory dysfunction, including COVID-19 infection, which has increased anosmia cases. No medications are approved; however, recent studies have suggested that intranasal insulin could effectively treat olfactory dysfunction. To comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intranasal insulin in treating olfactory dysfunction. PubMed, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL databases were searched using specific keywords, and the outputs were screened using the Rayyan AI system. Original research articles published without time frame limitations that reported the relevant outcomes were included. The reviewers performed the screening and data extraction, and any disagreements were resolved by a third senior author. This systematic review identified 66 references from 3 databases, with 45 articles meeting the criteria for review after duplicates were removed. Six articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected, including 177 subjects. The selected studies consisted of various study designs, including pilot studies, placebo-controlled trials, crossover studies, and randomized clinical trials. The findings showed that intranasal insulin therapy had beneficial effects on olfactory function. Specifically, improvements were observed in olfactory detection and discrimination in patients with post-COVID-19 anosmia, olfactory threshold performance in healthy participants, and odor identification in hyposmic patients. However, there were variations in the observed effects based on different doses of insulin administered and gender differences. It also shows that using insulin provides good outcomes. Using it intranasally was safe and did not cause any complications. Intranasal insulin has shown promising results as a potentially safe treatment for olfactory dysfunction. Studies suggest that it can improve olfactory thresholds. Further studies are needed to investigate optimal doses and potential gender differences in response.
PubMed: 37776014
DOI: 10.1177/01455613231201028 -
Rhinology Dec 2023Olfactory Dysfunction (OD) is a prevalent issue with a significant number of cases attributed to COVID-19. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of...
INTRODUCTION
Olfactory Dysfunction (OD) is a prevalent issue with a significant number of cases attributed to COVID-19. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of COVID-19 related OD, including anosmia, hyposmia, and parosmia.
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Medline, Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Google Scholar from inception until December 22, 2022. The eligibility criteria were confirmed COVID-19 patients with OD, whether it was measured objectively and/or subjectively, who received PRP treatment. The study followed a pre-specified protocol registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023386803) and adhered to PRISMA guidelines.
RESULTS
Four studies that enrolled 233 patients were included. The degree of improvement was assessed using threshold-discrimination-identification (TDI) scores at baseline and 1 and 2 months after PRP injection. Parosmia was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores. Treatment of OD with PRP injections resulted in variable degrees of improvement. However, PRP injections can be considered safe, effective, and promising therapeutic options, as revealed by pooled studies.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review indicated that PRP may be an effective treatment for COVID-19 related OD. However, additional large-scale studies are required to further investigate PRP efficacy in the treatment of OD following COVID-19.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Treatment Outcome; Smell; Olfaction Disorders; Platelet-Rich Plasma
PubMed: 37772881
DOI: 10.4193/Rhin23.168 -
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 2023There are discrepancies of olfactory impairment between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Olfactory deficits may be a potential marker for...
BACKGROUND
There are discrepancies of olfactory impairment between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Olfactory deficits may be a potential marker for early and differential diagnosis of AD. We aimed to assess olfactory functions in patients with AD and other neurodegenerative disorders, to further evaluate the smell tests using subgroup analysis, and to explore moderating factors affecting olfactory performance.
METHODS
Cross-sectional studies relating to olfactory assessment for both AD and other neurodegenerative disorders published before 27 July 2022 in English, were searched on PubMed, Embase and Cochrane. After literature screening and quality assessment, meta-analyses were conducted using stata14.0 software.
RESULTS
Forty-two articles involving 12 smell tests that evaluated 2,569 AD patients were included. It was revealed that smell tests could distinguish AD from mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Lewy body disease (LBD), depression, and vascular dementia (VaD), but not from diseases such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Our finding indicated that in discriminating AD from MCI, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was most frequently used (95%CI: -1.12 to -0.89), while the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT), was the most widely used method in AD vs. LBD group. Further subgroup analyses indicated that the methods of smell test used contributed to the heterogeneity in olfactory threshold and discrimination scores in group AD vs. MCI. While the moderating variables including age, MMSE scores, education years in AD vs. LBD, were account for heterogeneity across studies.
CONCLUSION
Our finding suggests smell tests have potential value in early differential diagnosis of AD. UPSIT and its simplified variant, B-SIT, are widely used methods in the analyses.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php? RecordID = 357970 (PROSPERO, registration number CRD42022357970).
PubMed: 37744388
DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1249512 -
Journal of Neuropsychology Jun 2024Snoezelen Multisensory Stimulation (SMSS) is a non-pharmacological intervention that provides controlled multisensorial environments to stimulate the primary senses:...
Snoezelen Multisensory Stimulation (SMSS) is a non-pharmacological intervention that provides controlled multisensorial environments to stimulate the primary senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, proprioceptive and vestibular. Even though the use and potential of SMSS have been widespread in the literature regarding certain target populations (autism, developmental disabilities) and settings (e.g. leisure, therapeutic), its effectiveness in older adults with neurocognitive disorders (e.g. dementia, mild cognitive impairment) and other pathologies (e.g. psychiatric disorders, oncological diseases) is still unclear. Therefore, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to address this issue. The recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and of the Cochrane Collaboration were followed. An initial search on PubMed and Scopus databases resulted in 86 articles of which 14 met inclusion criteria and were reviewed in detail. The outcomes showed that most of the studies (n = 13) focused on the effects of SMSS on behaviour and mood in older adults with major cognitive disorders (i.e. dementia). Although there is scarce literature on its impact on cognition, psychophysiological measures (e.g. heart rate, oxygen saturation), daily living functionality and quality of life, this type of intervention seems to contribute to delaying the worsening in severity of the neurocognitive disorders from the mildest to the most severe stages. Likewise, it is legitimate to consider the possibility of potential benefits to older adults with less severe neurocognitive disorders or other pathologies, but more research is needed.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Cognitive Dysfunction; Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders
PubMed: 37735859
DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12346 -
Journal of Investigational Allergology... Dec 2023Impairment of smell is more commonly related to chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) than without, especially when asthma and/or NSAID-exacerbated... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Impairment of smell is more commonly related to chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) than without, especially when asthma and/or NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease and type 2 inflammation are also present. Therapeutic options include intranasal and systemic corticosteroids, surgery, and, more recently, biological therapy. We summarize current knowledge on the effect of biologics on olfaction in patients with CRSwNP.
METHODS
We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and Cochrane databases from January 2001 to June 2022. The inclusion criteria were as follows: adult patients with CRS treated with dupilumab, omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, or reslizumab; and studies published in English reporting outcomes for sense of smell based on psychophysical and/or subjective tools. We excluded reports that did not assess CRSwNP, loss of smell evaluated with a method other than those accepted in the inclusion criteria, review articles, and expert opinions. No funding was received.
RESULTS
Dupilumab has demonstrated rapid and sustained long-term improvement in smell in clinical trials and in real life. Omalizumab improves smell at 24 weeks. This improvement is maintained in the long-term, although it is not clinically relevant. Mepolizumab and benralizumab improved smell in the long term based on a subjective scale. No studies examining the improvement in smell in patients with CRSwNP treated with reslizumab were found. Indirect comparisons by meta-analysis consistently conclude that dupilumab is the most effective biologic for improving impaired sense of smell.
CONCLUSION
Dupilumab seems to be more efficacious for improving the sense of smell than omalizumab, mepolizumab, and benralizumab.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Nasal Polyps; Omalizumab; Smell; Rhinosinusitis; Chronic Disease; Sinusitis; Rhinitis; Quality of Life
PubMed: 37669083
DOI: 10.18176/jiaci.0939 -
Clinical and Experimental Dental... Oct 2023The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory infection that has spread worldwide and... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory infection that has spread worldwide and is responsible for a high death toll. Although respiratory symptoms are the most common, there is growing evidence that oral signs of COVID-19 can also be seen in children. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the available data on the oral manifestations of COVID-19 in children and to recommend appropriate methods of diagnosis and treatment.
METHODS
A systematic search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was done to discover relevant papers published between their establishment and January 2023. Articles detailing oral symptoms in pediatric patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were included, and data on clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes were extracted and evaluated.
RESULTS
A total of 24 studies involving 2112 pediatric patients with COVID-19 were included in the review. The most common presentations are oral lesions, taste and smell disorders, oral candidiasis, hemorrhagic crust, tongue discoloration, lip and tongue fissuring, gingivitis, and salivary gland inflammation. These manifestations were sometimes associated with multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or Kawasaki disease (KD). Management strategies varied depending on the severity of the oral manifestation and ranged from symptomatic relief with topical analgesics to systemic medications.
CONCLUSION
Oral symptoms of COVID-19 are relatively prevalent in juvenile patients and can be accompanied by severe systemic diseases, such as MIS-C or Kawasaki illness. Early detection and adequate care of these oral symptoms are critical for the best patient results. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology and developing targeted treatments requires more investigation.
Topics: Child; Humans; COVID-19; Databases, Factual; SARS-CoV-2; Practice Guidelines as Topic
PubMed: 37602892
DOI: 10.1002/cre2.776 -
Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology Mar 2023Olfaction is critical for maintaining daily life activities. It is crucial to measure olfactory performance for the diagnosis and treatment of certain neurodegenerative...
Olfaction is critical for maintaining daily life activities. It is crucial to measure olfactory performance for the diagnosis and treatment of certain neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, impairments and a lack of quality in the olfactory system may indicate the early diagnosis of some diseases such as Parkinson's. In this context, there are several imaging methods available for evaluating olfactory function. In addition to the conventional methods used in measuring the brain's responsiveness to olfactory stimuli, this article presents a systematic review of the current applicability of optical brain imaging (i.e., functional near-infrared spectroscopy) in the evaluation of olfactory function. A database literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, the Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. This review excluded animal studies, clinical studies, pathology- or neurodegenerative disease-related studies, newborn-related studies, cross-modal- and dual-task-related studies, and non-original research studies. Thus, seven studies were examined to discuss the pitfalls and perspectives of the use of optical brain imaging under olfactory stimulation. As for this conclusion, they can be used to evaluate olfactory performance in healthy individuals through the interpretation of hemodynamic changes. Further studies are needed to standardize the applicability of these optical imaging techniques.
PubMed: 37583975
DOI: 10.4274/tao.2023.2023-1-6