Our sense of smell and the ability to breathe and take in our surroundings are often things that we take for granted. Patients living with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), however, often don’t get to experience these and other simple pleasures, like the ability to smell fresh food. That’s why Sanofi and Regeneron conducted an international smell survey to the general population to understand the impact of smell on daily living.

For people living with CRSwNP, an inflammatory disease that affects the upper airway, loss of sense of smell can be a daily reality as it’s one of the most common symptoms and the symptom most impacting quality of life. In most cases, CRSwNP results in teardrop-shaped growths, called polyps, forming in a person’s sinuses and nasal passages and can also lead to nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, a constant runny and stuffy nose, and facial pain.^1-4 About 1-4% of people in North America and Europe live with CRSwNP, and more than 80% of them have type 2 inflammation.^4-7

It is common for people living with CRSwNP to also suffer from other type 2 inflammatory conditions, which can make CRSwNP more difficult to treat and may pose further concerns for patients.^4,8

So what would life be like without a sense of smell – or the ability to experience the important moments and warnings that come with it? The survey respondents, consisting of 6,000 individuals from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United States, revealed that most people wouldn’t even want to imagine it: 54% agreed smell would be the worst sense to lose and 69% reported being afraid to lose it.⁹

Most respondents agreed smell is impactful, with 78% saying smell affects their mood and 88% saying it affects their appetite.¹⁰ 89% also said smell could evoke vivid memories, with family recipes and delicacies being some of the smells that produce the strongest sense of nostalgia.⁹

Tomomi is one such patient living with CRSwNP who understands firsthand what it feels like to miss out on some of the experiences that others may take for granted. When she became a parent, she felt like she couldn’t completely experience the joys of parenthood due to her loss of smell.

“Babies smell like milk...I was looking forward to enjoying that smell,” Tomomi said. “But I couldn’t smell anything at all. I was sad.”

Additionally, smell was noted by 90% of respondents as important in detecting potential issues or dangers such as smoke or gas leaks.⁹

In terms of treating CRSwNP, today’s standard of care – which includes intranasal and systemic corticosteroids or sinus surgery – can often leave patients with recurring symptoms.⁸ Surgery can help alleviate nasal congestion and other symptoms but may not improve loss of smell.¹⁰ Given these often-inadequate options, there is a significant need for treatments that address key underlying disease drivers of CRSwNP, such as type 2 inflammation.

Our noses have a tremendously important job to do. Without our sense of smell, we lose one of our primary connections with the world around us – along with our ability to protect ourselves from peril. On this year’s Global CRSwNP Awareness Day, we hope you stop and smell the roses – quite literally – and uncover a newfound appreciation for your sense of smell. Talk to your doctor to learn more about common symptoms of CRSwNP, including loss of sense of smell, and potential treatment options.

References:

1. W. Fokkens, V. Lund and J. Mullol. “European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps.” Rhinology. 2012;vol. 50, no. 1, 1-12.
2. A. Kato, et al, “Immunopathology of chronic rhinosinusitis,” Allergol Int. 2015; vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 121-30.
3. J. R. Newton, K. W. Ah-See. “A Review of Nasal Polyposis.” Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008;vol. 4, no. 2, 507-12.
4. A. Beule. “Epidemiology of Chronic Rhinosinusitis, Selected Risk Factors, Comorbidities, and Economic Burden.” Head Neck Surg. 2015;vol. 14, 1-31.
5. C. Bachert, et al. “Burden of Disease in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps.” J Asthma and Allergy. 2021;vol. 14, 127-134.
6. J. Mullol, et al. “Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: quality of life in the biologics era,” J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;vol. 10, no. 6, 1434-53.
7. M. R. Chaaban, et al. “Epidemiology and differential diagnosis of nasal polyps.” Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2013;vol. 27, 473–478.
8. A. Khan, et al. “The Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GALEN) Rhinosinusitis Cohort: A Large European Cross-sectional Study of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients With and Without Nasal Polyps,” Rhinology. 2019;vol. 57, no. 1, 32-42.
9. CRSwNP and Anosmia International Survey – International Data Analysis. 2023.
10. N. Claeys, et al. “Patients Unmet Needs in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps Care: A Patient Advisory Board Statement of EUFOREA.” Frontiers in Allergy. 2021; vol. 29, no.2:789425. https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2021.761388