Comparison of smoking conventional cigarettes and using heated tobacco products on the olfactory and gustatory function in healthy young adults: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction Smoking has a negative impact on the chemosensory function. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of smoking experience and type of tobacco products on gustatory and olfactory function. Methods This study included 30 conventional cigarette smokers, 30 heated tobacco products (HTPs) users, and 30 non-smokers. Olfactory function was assessed with a ‘Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 Test’ while the taste function was assessed with ‘taste strips’ for the basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The lifetime exposure to smoking was calculated using the Brinkman index (BI). Results Conventional cigarette smokers demonstrated decreased olfactory function in comparison to non-smokers (median: 10 vs 11; p=0.001) but HTPs users did not differ between those two groups. Overall gustatory function was lower in conventional cigarette smokers (median: 9.5) and HTPs users (median: 10) than in non-smokers (median: 14; p<0.001). A difference was detected in the sour, salty and bitter taste but without significant difference between HTPs users and conventional cigarette smokers. Negative linear correlations were found between the BI and olfactory function, overall gustatory function, sour, salty, and bitter taste (r= -0.317 – -0.585; p≤0.002). In multiple linear regression, BI was the only predictor of olfactory dysfunction when controlling for the effect of tobacco products, age, and gender accounting for 11% of variance (p=0.024, R 2 =0.123). For gustatory dysfunction, BI was the strongest predictor followed by gender and tobacco products accounting for 11%, 5%, and 4% (p<0.001, R 2 =0.259). Conclusions Olfactory and gustatory function are adversely associated with smoking, more depending on BI than tobacco product.

Keywords

• smoking
• taste
• tobacco products
• smell