Older adults with poor olfaction may have a higher risk of developing congestive heart failure compared to those with good olfaction, especially among those reporting excellent health.
Researchers assessed the relationship between olfactory impairment and major adverse cardiovascular outcomes among 2,537 older adults from the Health, Aging, and Body Compositionstudy. Participants (average age 75.6 ± 2.8 years) underwent olfaction testing using the 12-item Brief Smell Identification Test from 1999-2000. Scores categorized olfactory function as poor (≤ 8), moderate (9-10), or good (11-12), according to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association,
Participants were followed for up to 12 years, during which 353 cases of coronary heart disease (CHD), 258 strokes, and 477 cases of congestive heart failure (CHF) were recorded. Analysis adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and biomarkers. The hazard ratios (HR) for incident CHF were 1.32 (95% CI, 1.05–1.66) for moderate and 1.28 (95% CI, 1.01–1.64) for poor olfaction, compared to good olfaction. Researchers noted these associations were robust in subgroup analysis stratified by age, sex, race, and existing cardiovascular conditions.
Researchers also noted the association between olfactory impairment and CHF was particularly strong in participants reporting very good to excellent health (HR, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.20–2.58] for poor olfaction). In contrast, there was no significant association between olfactory impairment and CHD or stroke risk.
This was the first study to examine an association between olfaction and cardiovascular disease in older adults. “Such an investigation is important because poor olfaction is prevalent in older adults, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, and their connections are biologically plausible,” noted investigators. “There remains a critical need to identify novel factors associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in older adults to further inform risk prediction and intervention.”
The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and other agencies. A full list of author disclosures can be found in the original study.