RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A cross-sectional study contrasting olfactory function in autonomic disorders
JF Neurology
JO Neurology
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP 456
OP 460
DO 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31820a0caf
VO 76
IS 5
A1 E.M. Garland
A1 S.R. Raj
A1 A.C. Peltier
A1 D. Robertson
A1 I. Biaggioni
YR 2011
UL http://n.neurology.org/content/76/5/456.abstract
AB Objective: To compare odor identification function in patients with peripheral or central autonomic neurodegeneration and in patients with intact autonomic neurons but undetectable norepinephrine. Methods: Olfactory function was evaluated with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) in 12 patients with pure autonomic failure, 10 patients with multiple system atrophy, and 4 patients with dopamine β-hydroxylase deficiency. Blood pressure and catecholamine data were also compared. Results: Odor identification was significantly impaired in patients with pure autonomic failure relative to patients with multiple system atrophy or dopamine β-hydroxylase deficiency. Out of 40 odors, the patients correctly identified mean (95% confidence interval) 19.2 (14.1 to 24.2), 34.4 (32.2 to 36.6), and 31.7 (29.4 to 34.1) (p < 0.001). The difference between patients with pure autonomic failure and those with multiple system atrophy or dopamine β-hydroxylase deficiency persisted after adjustment for age (p = 0.001). Patients with pure autonomic failure also had a greater orthostatic fall in blood pressure and lower plasma norepinephrine levels than patients with multiple system atrophy. Conclusions: Olfactory function was relatively intact in patients with dopamine β-hydroxylase deficiency, who have intact noradrenergic neurons but lack norepinephrine. Odor identification was impaired in pure autonomic failure but not in multiple system atrophy, suggesting that 1) peripheral noradrenergic innervation is important for olfactory identification but norepinephrine is not essential and 2) UPSIT may be useful in the differential diagnosis between these disorders.