Maniaci Antonino, Lentini Mario, Bianco Maria Rita, Paternò Daniele Salvatore, Lavalle Salvatore, Pace Annalisa, Iannella Giannicola, Boscolo-Rizzo Paolo, Mayo-Yanez Miguel, Calvo-Henriquez Christian, Lechien Jerome R, La Via Luigi
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Enna "Kore", 94100 Enna, Italy.
ASP Ragusa, 97100 Ragusa, Italy.
Life (Basel). 2025 Apr 21;15(4):675. doi: 10.3390/life15040675.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a chronic condition that is closely interrelated to olfactory disorders, with a significant contribution to quality of health and overall quality of life. This narrative review aims to provide a thorough overview of the emerging evidence that now integrates these two previously considered distinct physiologic systems. Studies published recently have reported a significantly higher frequency of olfactory dysfunction among OSA patients compared to the general population, which raises the possibility of a causal relationship. We explore the postulated mechanisms behind this association, namely, the chronic intermittent hypoxia, local inflammatory effect, and neuroanatomical changes attributed to OSA. The review further explores the clinical impacts of this relationship through proposing the potential for an olfactory assessment to be used as a diagnostic modality for OSA and the effects of OSA treatment on olfactory function. Thus, we explore the difficulties in treating patients who experience both and suggest future areas for research. This review attempts to bridge the gap between the existing literature and impending investigation necessary for a better management of the interaction of sleep apnea and the human sense of smell.
阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）日益被认为是一种与嗅觉障碍密切相关的慢性疾病，对健康质量和整体生活质量有重大影响。本叙述性综述旨在全面概述目前整合这两个先前被认为不同生理系统的新证据。最近发表的研究报告称，与普通人群相比，OSA患者嗅觉功能障碍的发生率显著更高，这增加了因果关系的可能性。我们探讨了这种关联背后的假定机制，即慢性间歇性缺氧、局部炎症效应以及归因于OSA的神经解剖学变化。该综述还通过提出嗅觉评估作为OSA诊断方式的可能性以及OSA治疗对嗅觉功能的影响，进一步探讨了这种关系的临床影响。因此，我们探讨了同时患有这两种疾病的患者在治疗上的困难，并提出了未来的研究领域。本综述试图弥合现有文献与为更好地管理睡眠呼吸暂停与人类嗅觉相互作用而进行的即将开展的研究所必需的差距。
