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Citation
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Foster E, Bayley M, Langer L, Saverino C, Chandra T, Barnard C, Comper P. Brain Inj. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To examine sense of smell as a biomarker for both severity and duration of post-concussion symptoms.
METHODS: Participants were recruited prospectively from an outpatient concussion clinic. Sense of smell was assessed using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) within 7 days, and 4, 8 - or 16-weeks post-injury. UPSIT normative data were used as normal controls. The main outcomes were: symptom severity on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3) symptom inventory and time to physician-declared recovery.
RESULTS: A total of 167 participants (mean age 32.9 [SD, 12.2] years, 59% female [n = 99]) were classified at 1 week post injury as follows: severe hyposmia in 5 (3%), moderate hyposmia in 10 (6%), mild hyposmia in 48 (29%), and normosmia in 104 (62%) individuals. A convenience sample of 81 individuals with concussion were tested at follow-up. Acute impairment of sense of smell following concussion was not associated with symptom severity on the SCAT3 or time to recovery. Sense of smell was stable from baseline to follow-up in this population.
CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that routine testing of sense of smell in individuals with concussion is not warranted as a biomarker for severity of concussion and concussion recovery.
Language: en |