•  
  •  
 

Article Type

Article

Abstract

Background
Odor identification is a complex process involving different neuronal mechanisms. It is important from different aspects of quality of life. Postviral neuritis is one of the leading causes of
hyposmia. Attention to it has increased in the last year due to the coronavirus disease 2019
pandemic. Systemic steroids are presumed to benefit such cases through its anti‑inflammatory
mechanism of action. Cinnarizine, being a multimodal mechanism of action drug with a potent
cerebral vasodilator effect, is assumed to have a great potential to be used as adjuvant
treatment to systemic steroids.
Objective
The aim of the study is to assess if there is any role of Cinnarizine as an adjuvant treatment
to steroids in cases of postviral hyposmia.
Patients and methods
This is a single‑blinded, randomized, controlled trial including 82 patients with postviral
hyposmia. Patients were distributed equally into two groups according to the given therapy
with group I receiving 25 mg oral prednisolone per day for 2 weeks along with budesonide
nasal spray/64 µg per puff in a dose of two puffs for each nostril twice daily for 1 month, in
addition to our drug of study Cinnarizine 25 mg given postoperative TDS for 1 month. Group II
received the same but without Cinnarizine. Both groups were compared regarding the number
and percentage of patients having their smell identification test score improved either partially
or fully back to normal.
Results
Cinnarizine intake as an adjuvant treatment to steroids had a significant effect on improving the
smell identification test scores in patients with postviral hyposmia (PË‚0.05). However, among
the improved patients in both groups, there was a nonsignificant difference between the two
groups regarding the degree of recovery whether complete or partial (P=0.78).
Conclusion
Cinnarizine has a beneficial effect as an adjuvant treatment to steroids in cases of postviral
hyposmia.
Keywords:
anosmia, hyposmia, olfaction Cinnarizine, olfactory, Stugeron

Download

Share

COinS