Olfactory reference syndrome: demographic and clinical features of imagined body odor

Abstract Objective Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) — preoccupation with a false belief that one emits a foul or offensive body odor — has been described around the world for more than a century. However, only a few small studies have systematically assessed ORS's clinical features. Method Tw...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:General hospital psychiatry 2011-07, Vol.33 (4), p.398-406
Main Authors: Phillips, Katharine A., M.D, Menard, William, B.A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Clinical features
Delusional disorder
Female
Human Body
Humans
Imagined body odor
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Nosology. Terminology. Diagnostic criteria
Odorants
Olfactory reference syndrome
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Phobic Disorders - diagnosis
Phobic Disorders - physiopathology
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Syndrome
Taijin kyofusho
Techniques and methods
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract Objective Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) — preoccupation with a false belief that one emits a foul or offensive body odor — has been described around the world for more than a century. However, only a few small studies have systematically assessed ORS's clinical features. Method Twenty patients with ORS were systematically assessed using semistructured measures. Results Subjects' mean age was 33.4±14.1; 60% were female. Preoccupation most often focused on the mouth (75%), armpits (60%) and genitals (35%). Bad breath (75%) and sweat (65%) were the most common odor descriptions. Currently, 85% of subjects had delusional ORS beliefs, 77% had referential thinking and 85% reported actually smelling the odor. Ninety-five percent of subjects reported performing one or more ORS-related repetitive behaviors (e.g., excessive showering). Forty percent had been housebound for at least 1 week because of ORS symptoms, 68% had a history of suicidal ideation, 32% had attempted suicide and 53% had been psychiatrically hospitalized. Forty-four percent of subjects had sought nonpsychiatric medical, surgical or dental treatment for the perceived odor, and one third had received such treatment, which was ineffective in all cases. Conclusion ORS appears to be characterized by high morbidity and seeking of nonpsychiatric treatment.
ISSN:0163-8343
1873-7714
DOI:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2011.04.004