A computer-controlled olfactometer for a self-administered odor identification test

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Valentin Alexander Schriever - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Author)
  • Johannes Körner - , TUD Dresden University of Technology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Author)
  • Robert Beyer - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Author)
  • Samanta Viana - , TUD Dresden University of Technology, University of Lisbon (Author)
  • Han Seok Seo - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Author)

Abstract

Odor identification tests are widely used for the general screening of olfactory function. However, the administration of odor identification tests is often limited due to a lack of investigators' time. Therefore, we attempted to design a computer-controlled olfactometer to present a self-administered odor identification test. The results produced by means of this olfactometer were evaluated in terms of validity and test-retest reliability. To test the validity, participants' performance in the odor identification test using the olfactometer was compared with their performance in the odor identification test using the validated assessment of the "Sniffin' Sticks" test. The ten-item odor identification test was performed two times using two different methods: (1) the self-administered test using the computer-controlled olfactometer and (2) the foreign-administered test using the "Sniffin' sticks." To examine test-retest reliability, 20 participants were asked to repeat these tests on a different day. Participants reached significantly higher scores on a foreign-administered odor identification test using the "Sniffin' sticks" than on the olfactometer-based test; however, this effect was driven by two less correctly identified odors in the olfactometer-based test. The significant difference between both methods in the mean scores disappeared after excluding two odors from the analysis. In addition, both methods showed no significant difference in scores obtained during the first and second session, indicating that results were consistent between sessions. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the computer-controlled olfactometer designed in this study can be used for a self-administered odor identification test.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1293-1297
Number of pages5
JournalEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology
Volume268
Issue number9
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2011
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 21461895

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • A self-administrated test, Odor identification test, Olfactometer, The "Sniffin' Sticks" test