Olfaction and tracheostomy in childhood

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Olfaction and tracheostomy in childhood

• IRAS ID

  293769

• Contact name

  John Curran

• Contact email

  john.curran4@nhs.scot

• Sponsor organisation

  NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Sense of smell largely determines the flavour of the foods we eat and serves as an important early warning system for the detection of fire, dangerous fumes, leaking gas, spoiled foods and polluted environments. Sense of smell is dependent on stimulation of chemoreceptors at the olfactory bulb produced by airflow passing through the nasal cavity. Currently there is little information in the literature surrounding sense of smell in children with tracheostomy.

  Compared to normative data for children, we hypothesise that the presence of a tracheostomy will impair the ability to smell. We also hypothesise that the ability to smell might continue to be impaired after decannulation in children who have had tracheostomy performed before the age of 2, as the olfactory neurons may not have been stimulated.

  Children and their parents will be contacted by members of the research team and asked to participate. The child and their parents will be posted an UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) scratch and sniff test, information form and consent form. Instructions on how to complete the test will be enclosed along with a stamped addressed envelope to return the test. Data will be collected from casenotes including:

  • Age tracheostomy performed
  • Duration of tracheostomy
  • Reason for tracheostomy

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  22/NW/0391

• Date of REC Opinion

  12 Dec 2022

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion