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. 2024 May 27;9(3):e1268.
doi: 10.1002/lio2.1268. eCollection 2024 Jun.

The olfactory diary: Tracking awareness and consciousness of the sense of smell throughout the day

David T Liu  1 , Gerold Besser  1 , Veronika Moser  1 , Bernhard Prem  1 , Gunjan Sharma  1 , Marie Ehrgott  1 , Bertold Renner  2   3 , Christian A Mueller  1
Affiliations

The olfactory diary: Tracking awareness and consciousness of the sense of smell throughout the day

David T Liu et al. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. .

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to follow the daily course of patients with olfactory dysfunction and healthy controls and to assess (i) how many times a day, (ii) at which time, and (iii) in which aspect of daily life participants are conscious about their sense of smell.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, 49 patients with smell loss and 30 healthy participants were enrolled. Olfactory function was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks. All participants received paper diaries designed for a 14-day period, featuring 12 rows representing 12 daily hours and six columns for various daily life aspects. They were instructed to mark their awareness of smell by indicating the relevant row and column in the diary. Following the return of the diaries, a second olfactory test was conducted within the patient group.

Results: On average, patients were consciously aware of their sense of smell around 8 times daily, while healthy participants noted it about 6.5 times a day. Both groups primarily focused on their sense of smell during activities related to "eating," followed by considerations in "social life" and "personal hygiene." Interestingly, distinct patterns emerged: patients peaked in awareness at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., whereas healthy individuals showed peaks at 6 a.m., 12 p.m., and 7 p.m. Despite regular diary use, we observed no improvement in patients' olfactory function or related quality of life.

Conclusion: The olfactory diary is a valuable tool unveiling individual smell awareness patterns in patients with smell loss, aiding in counseling and patient management.

Level of evidence: 4.

Keywords: hyposmia; olfaction; olfactory diary; smell; smell loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interests regarding the publication of this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Study flowchart.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
An illustrative example and guidance for participants depicting the layout of olfactory diaries for a typical day.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Olfactory function and smell loss during the course of the day across all categories. The dots represent the mean, the bars represent the standard deviation. The Y‐axis denotes the average frequency of smell awareness for both patients and healthy participants, while the X‐axis signifies the hour of the day.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Olfactory function and smell loss during the course of the day in individual categories. The Y‐axis denotes the average frequency of smell awareness for both patients and healthy participants, while the X‐axis signifies the hour of the day.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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