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. 2022 May-Jun;33(3):e19-e30.
doi: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000061.

Olfactory Dysfunction in Aging African American and Caucasian Men With HIV: A Pilot Study

David E Vance  1 , Shameka L Cody, Chance Nicholson, John Cheatwood, Shannon Morrison, Pariya L Fazeli
Affiliations

Olfactory Dysfunction in Aging African American and Caucasian Men With HIV: A Pilot Study

David E Vance et al. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2022 May-Jun.

Abstract

As people age with HIV, olfactory dysfunctions may become more pronounced, especially for African Americans who are predisposed to declines in olfaction. In this cross-sectional study, 34 middle-age and older African American and 17 Caucasian men living with HIV were administered two objective olfactory measures (UPSIT). In the Smell Threshold Test, compared to the HIV-negative age norms, adults living with HIV were significantly less able to detect a lower threshold smell. In the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test, compared to the HIV-negative age norms, adults living with HIV were significantly less able to correctly identify odors; furthermore, using such norms, African Americans with HIV were less likely to correctly identify odors compared to Caucasians with HIV. Since the literature indicates that African Americans have a stronger attraction for salty and sweet foods, such olfactory dysfunction may contribute to poor eating habits, potentially predisposing this population to additional health problems.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03122288 NCT02758093.

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