JLE

Annales de Gérontologie

MENU

Interest of a screening of the olfactory disorders in elderly of more than 75 years in a hospital environment Volume 3, issue 1, mars 2010

Figures

See all figures

Authors
Praticien hospitalier, Pôle vieillissement-rééducation-accompagnement, Hôpital universitaire Paul Brousse, 12 avenue Paul Vaillant-Couturier, 94804 Villejuif cedex, Socio-esthéticienne, Pôle vieillissement-rééducation-accompagnement, Hôpital universitaire Paul Brousse, Villejuif, Praticien hospitalier-Coordonnateur, Pôle vieillissement-rééducation-accompagnement, Hôpital universitaire Paul Brousse, Villejuif

The objective of this work was to define the feasibility of a screening of olfaction disorders, by a simple standardized test, in the routine practice of a geriatrics service. The secondary objective was, in a descriptive perspective, to state disorders observed in this population. Fifty patients over seventy-five years old, hospitalized in geriatrics (short stay, SSR and SLD) and capable of sufficient understanding (MMS>21) benefited from the exploration of their “olfactory subjectivity” through simple standardized tests. The test was well accepted, and was able to be carried out under good conditions of understanding, recording and response. The global sense of smell was considered good in 6% of the cases; average in 42%; pretty poor for 52%. There was no anosmia. Between 46 and 72% scented substances were recognized. All the patients presented a decrease of the olfactory acuteness, with sometimes in distinguishing within the same olfactory class of substances (selective anosmia). Olfaction plays a fundamental role, in particular in the capacity to eat (choice of the flavours and appetite). This study confirms on the one hand the existence of very frequent olfaction disorders in elderly carriers of a poly-pathology, and on the other the interest in carrying out this type of screening, by means of a simple and low-cost test, to propose rehabilitation by olfactory stimulation.