Prospective study evaluating olfactometric and rhinomanometric outcomes in postmenopausal women on 1 mg 17 beta-estradiol and 2 mg drospirenone HT

Objective: To evaluate the effects of drospirenone on the olfactory sensitivity in postmenopausal women treatedwith hormone therapy (HT).Design: Forty-seven naturally postmenopausal women participated in the prospective study. The womenunderwent continuous combined HT containing 1 mg 17A-estradiol and 2 mg drospirenone (DRSP). Airflowresistance values and olfactometric thresholds were measured by using rhinomanomety and olfactometry,respectively, performed at baseline and in the third and sixth cycle of HT.Results: Rhinomanometric values were better during 17A-estradiol/DRSP HT with respect to those observed atbaseline (P G 0.001). Olfactometric threshold data indicated a higher sensitivity during both the third (P G 0.05),and sixth cycles of 17A-estradiol/DRSP HT (P G 0.001) than at baseline.Conclusions: Our study confirmed that the nasal airflow resistance and olfactory thresholds to odors maydepend on steroid hormones. We believe that estrogens could influence neuronal plasticity and the neuronalconduction time in the olfactory system. The antimineralocorticoid activity of DRSP may produce a decrease innasal edema, inducing a better interaction between odorous substances with receptors.