Postinfectious Olfactory Dysfunction: Oral Steroids and Olfactory Training versus Olfactory Training Alone: Is There any Benefit from Steroids?

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> There are limited treatment options for postinfectious olfactory dysfunction (PIOD). Olfactory training has recently been used in clinical practice, but no medical is widely accepted. Although there weak evidence their value, some physicians use oral corticosteroids as first-line treatment. The aim of this study was to compare combined methylprednisolone and with alone the management PIOD. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This prospective cohort included 131 patients PIOD over a 2-year period before COVID-19 pandemic. Seventy-eight who were treated (group A) compared 53 only B). function evaluated “Sniffin’ Sticks” at baseline 2, 8, 16 weeks after initial assessment. Patients improved steroid underwent magnetic resonance imaging paranasal sinuses, skin prick tests, lung spirometry, sputum eosinophil <b><i>Results:</i></b> Oral steroids 19.23% (<i>n</i> = 15) group A. History, evaluation, imaging, laboratory tests identified an inflammatory background half them 8). remaining 7 had findings nasal inflammation, all short history dysfunction. Both groups significantly testing results end scheme without significant difference between them. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> percentage relatively low suggest it Half underlying upper airway condition not related infection that caused acute loss function.