KBB-Forum 2021 , Cilt 20, Sayı 1

THE EFFECT OF ACROMEGALY ON OLFACTORY FUNCTIONS

Özlem AKKOCA 1, MD; Ali KAVUZLU 1, MD; Tülay OMMA 2, MD; Ramazan ÖCAL 1, MD; Gökçe ŞİMŞEK 3, MD; Selda Kargın KAYTEZ 1, MD; Hatice ÇELİK 1, MD; Işılay TAŞKALDIRAN 2, MD;
1SBÜ Ankara Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Hastalıkları, Ankara, Turkey
2SBÜ Ankara Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Endokrinoloji ve Metabolizma Hastalıkları, Ankara, Turkey
3Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Hastalıkları, Kırıkkale, Turkey Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the olfactory functions of patients with active acromegaly and patients in biochemical remission.

Meterials and Methods: The study was conducted by forming 2 groups of patients diagnosed with acromegaly and a control group. Group 1 consisted of active acromegaly patients. Group 2 included patients who were determined to have biochemical remission. Group 3 were healthy volunteers. The olfactory functions were evaluated with the Brief Smell Identification Test(BSIT).

Results: A total of 69 patients were included in the study. The median value of blood insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in Group 1 was statistically significantly higher than in Group 2(p <0.001). A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in respect of the BSIT scores(p <0.001). BSIT scores in Group 1 were observed to be significantly lower than both Group 2 and Group 3 (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between Group 2 and Group 3(p = 1.000). A negative correlation was determined between the BSIT scores and IGF-1 values in Group 1(r = -0.983, p <0.001), (r = -0.629, p <0.01).

Conclusions: Active acromegaly causes a decrease in olfactory functions compared to the patients in biochemical remission and this function loss is negatively correlated with IGF-1 levels. Keywords : Acromegaly, growth hormone, olfactory mucosa, smell