[Respiration olfactometry--an objectifying method in the quantitative assessment of hyposmia].

The nasal flow rate is a sensitive parameter for recording respiration reactions evoked by smelling. A method is presented for objectifying measurement of different severe hyposmias. Using the monorhine respiration-olfactometry, one side of the nose is stimulated olfactorily, in the other one the nasal flow rate is registered simultaneously. 22 patients suffering from light and severe hyposmia could be exactly classified corresponding to the severity of hyposmia. There were no smell-induced respiration reactions below the detection threshold. The reaction thresholds of respiration-olfactometry correspond to the detection thresholds of subjective olfactometry in 94% of the patients.