Olfactory Function in Greenhouse Workers With Allergic Rhinitis Assessed by Sniffin' Sticks Testing.

Objectives: The authors assessed olfactory perceptual ability in greenhouse workers with allergic rhinitis (AR) using the Sniffin' Sticks test battery.

Methods: The study group (group 1) was formed from 51 greenhouse workers with allergic rhinitis (AR) (group 1) in the Antalya Province of Turkey. The control group (group 2) was formed from 49 healthy volunteers. The olfactory perception was assessed for each subject enrolled in the trial utilizing the Sniffin' Sticks' odorous felt-tipped pens.

Results: There were significant differences between the scores obtained for pen 6 and pen 12, which the study group could not correctly identify (P<0.05). Overall, the score for the groups was also significantly different, with the study group (group 1) having a lower olfactory perceptual ability (9.39±2.87) than the control group (10.4±2.19) (P<0.05). Within the study group (group 1), men and women did not differ in total scores (P=0.791). The authors noted that 19.6% of the study group was anosmic, compared with 10.2% in the controls. 27.5% of the study group were hyposmic, and 52.9% were normosmic. In the control group, 22.4% were hyposmic, and 67.3% were normosmic (P=0.274, χ2=2.588).

Conclusion: In our study, a decrease in total odor score was detected in greenhouse workers with allergic rhinitis, and this decrease did not correlate with working duration. Gases and pesticides encountered in greenhouse areas may also affect this olfactory decrease. Smoking also affected the total odor scores as they decreased. The use of protective masks and clothes may play a preventive role.