Screening of olfactory function with a four-minute odor identification test: Reliability, normative data, and investigations in patients with olfactory loss

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

The study aimed to create a screening test on the basis of the odor identification test as used in the "Sniffin' Sticks" olfactory test kit. It should appeal to the practitioner in terms of 1) time required for testing, 2) reliability, 3) separation of "normal" from ' abnormal," and 4) the fact that it allows lateralized screening. Experiments should provide a normative database (number of subjects > 1,000), establish test-retest reliability (n > 100), and compare results from patients with olfactory loss (n > 200). The correlation between results on 2 repetitive tests was .78. The test differentiated anosmics, hyposmics, and normosmics (p < .001). None of the 112 anosmics reached a score higher than 8; the 90th percentile was at a score of 6. When only 6 odors were used for calculating scores, for anosmics the 95(th) percentile was at a score of 4. These data provide a basis for the screening of patients by means of "Sniffin' Sticks.".

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)976-981
Number of pages6
JournalAnnals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology
Volume110
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2001
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 11642433
Scopus 0034779994
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/146645593

Keywords

Keywords

  • Anosmia, Odor discrimination, Odor identification, Odor threshold, Olfaction