Abstract
Objectives:
Assess the effect of perfume on olfactory detection thresholds of health workers at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Methods:
This was a quasi-experimental study on olfactory detection thresholds of one hundred healthy health workers in a tertiary health institution from September 2013-November 2013. A structured questionnaire was administered to participants to obtain information on sociodemographics, occupation, ability to perceive smell, use of perfume, effects of perfume on appetite and self-confidence, history of allergy, and previous nasal surgery. Participants subjectively rated their olfactory performance and thereafter had olfactory detection threshold testing done with varied concentrations of n-butanol in a forced triple response and staircase fashion. Olfactory detection thresholds at baseline and after exposure to Lynx perfume were determined and compared.
Results:
Thirty-seven males and 63 females were evaluated. Their ages ranged from 19-59 years with a mean age 31 years ± 8. Subjectively, 94% participants had excellent olfactory function. In the pre-exposure forced triple response, 88% participants were able to detect the odor at ≤0.25 mmol/L concentrations while in the post-exposure forced triple response, only 66% participants were able to detect the odor at ≤0.25 mmol/L concentrations. There was also a statistically significant difference in the olfactory detection threshold score between the pre-exposure and post-exposure period in the participants (P < .05).
Conclusions:
Use of fragrance affects the olfactory detection threshold. Therefore, wearers should be aware of this and its implications on test of olfaction.
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