Decreasing nasal mucus Ca++ improves hyposmia.

It is well documented that cytoplasmic Ca++ regulates sensitivity to cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). There is also evidence that Ca++ in the mucus may also modulate sensitivity to cAMP in vivo. Assuming that mucosal Ca++ could significantly change the excitability of the receptor neurons, we examined the alterations in the olfactory sensitivity by creating small changes in mucosal Ca++. Thirty one patients complaining of olfactory loss were examined and their olfactory acuity was measured before and after the administration of a sodium citrate buffer solution in the nasal cleft. Thirty patients (96.8%) improved their scores in less than an hour period of time. Furthermore, 23 of them (74.2%) realized an improvement in their own sense of smell.