Danish Validation of Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Test for Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification

TY - CONF

T1 - Danish Validation of Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Test for Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification

AU - Niklassen, Andreas Steenholt

PY - 2019/8/29

Y1 - 2019/8/29

N2 - Objectives: The aim was to validate the Sniffin’ Sticks threshold, discrimination, and identification olfaction test. Background: Olfactory disorders are common. The applicability of olfactory testing is dependent on cultural adaptation. For accurate diagnostics and treatment, olfactory testing is a prerequisite. Methods: The study included 388 participants. The first step was a questionnaire study in which 238 adults rated their familiarity with 125 odor descriptors. In the second step, we evaluated the original Sniffin’ Sticks in 75 participants. In the third step, we modified our odor descriptors and tested 75 participants with the new version. Results: In the identification test, we found that 21 original odor descriptors were unfamiliar and that five odors had identification rates <75%. After modification, all odors had a successful identification rate>75%. Conclusion: The original Sniffin’ Sticks was not applicable in Denmark. The modification resulted in improvement of familiarity and rate of identification, making the test valid for use in Denmark. Furthermore, the study found a large variation in threshold and discrimination scores between different countries, which should be considered when using these scores to separate hyposmia and anosmia from normosmia. Perspectives: The test is now valid for use in Denmark and can be used clinically in hospital departments and at private practitioners. We found that there is a greater variation in sensitivity than previously anticipated, and would recommend this to be taken into consideration when comparing studies regarding olfaction from different countries.

AB - Objectives: The aim was to validate the Sniffin’ Sticks threshold, discrimination, and identification olfaction test. Background: Olfactory disorders are common. The applicability of olfactory testing is dependent on cultural adaptation. For accurate diagnostics and treatment, olfactory testing is a prerequisite. Methods: The study included 388 participants. The first step was a questionnaire study in which 238 adults rated their familiarity with 125 odor descriptors. In the second step, we evaluated the original Sniffin’ Sticks in 75 participants. In the third step, we modified our odor descriptors and tested 75 participants with the new version. Results: In the identification test, we found that 21 original odor descriptors were unfamiliar and that five odors had identification rates <75%. After modification, all odors had a successful identification rate>75%. Conclusion: The original Sniffin’ Sticks was not applicable in Denmark. The modification resulted in improvement of familiarity and rate of identification, making the test valid for use in Denmark. Furthermore, the study found a large variation in threshold and discrimination scores between different countries, which should be considered when using these scores to separate hyposmia and anosmia from normosmia. Perspectives: The test is now valid for use in Denmark and can be used clinically in hospital departments and at private practitioners. We found that there is a greater variation in sensitivity than previously anticipated, and would recommend this to be taken into consideration when comparing studies regarding olfaction from different countries.

M3 - Poster

T2 - Forskningens Dag

Y2 - 29 August 2019 through 29 August 2019

ER -