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Olfactory functions in patients with psoriasis vulgaris: correlations with the severity of the disease

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Abstract

It is well known that psoriasis is not only limited to skin, but a systemic autoimmune disease with various comorbidities. Olfactory dysfunction, one of as a common but lesser known symptom of patients with autoimmune diseases, often presents with smell loss. The aim of this study was to assess the olfactory functions in patients with psoriasis and to compare with healthy controls. A total of 50 patients with psoriasis and 43 control subjects were included to the study. The clinical severity of psoriasis was calculated by psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Patients were classified into two groups according to PASI score as mild (PASI ≤10) and moderate–severe (PASI >10). Olfactory function was evaluated with “Sniffin’Sticks” test. Total test scores (max. 48 points) of threshold, discrimination, and identification (TDI) were classified as normal olfaction = normosmia (>30.3 points), decreased olfaction = hyposmia (16.5–30.3 points) and loss of olfaction = anosmia (<16.5 points). Psoriasis patients had significantly lower smell scores compared with healthy controls (p < 0.001). Of the 50 psoriasis patients, 40 (80 %) were hyposmic. We found negative correlation between TDI and PASI (r = −0.34, p = 0.014). The TDI scores of the patients with moderate–severe psoriasis (PASI score >10) were found to be significantly lower than the patients with mild psoriasis (PASI ≤10) (p < 0.001). Olfactory dysfunction in patients with psoriasis could be thought as a comorbidity as in other inflammatory disorders. Physicians should be aware of olfactory impairment when evaluating psoriasis patients in their clinical practice.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Seyit Ahmet Ay in GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital for statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Kasimpasa Military Hospital, Beyoglu, 34440, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ersin Aydın

  2. Department of Norology, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Hakan Tekeli

  3. Department of Dermatology, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ercan Karabacak

  4. Department of Dermatology, Şişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    İlknur Kıvanç Altunay, Çigdem Aydın & Aslı Aksu Çerman

  5. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Istanbul Surgery Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Aytuğ Altundağ

  6. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Murat Salihoğlu

  7. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Amasya University Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Melih Çayönü

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  1. Ersin Aydın
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Correspondence to Ersin Aydın.

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Aydın, E., Tekeli, H., Karabacak, E. et al. Olfactory functions in patients with psoriasis vulgaris: correlations with the severity of the disease. Arch Dermatol Res 308, 409–414 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-016-1662-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-016-1662-7

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