Purpose of ReviewOlfactory dysfunction dramatically impairs quality of life with a prevalence of 20% in the general adult population. Psychophysical olfactory testing has been widely used to evaluate the ability to smell due to its validated utility and feasibility in clinic. This review summarizes the current literature regarding psychophysical olfactory testing and the clinical relevance of the olfactory testing with different components. Furthermore, the review highlights the diagnosis and treatment value of olfactory subtests in patients with olfactory dysfunction.Recent FindingsWith the accumulation of studies of psychophysical olfactory testing in olfactory disorders, the clinical relevance of olfactory testing with different components is expanding. Different olfactory domains present with distinct olfactory processing and cortical activity. Psychophysical assessment of olfaction with three domains reveals different levels of olfactory processing and might assist with analyzing the pathophysiologic mechanism of the various olfactory disorders. Furthermore, olfactory thresholds provided the largest amount of non-redundant information to the olfactory diagnosis. Sinonasal olfactory dysfunction and non-sinonasal-related olfactory dysfunction are emerging classifications of smell disorders with certain characteristics of olfactory impairment and different responses to the therapy including steroids, sinus surgery, and olfactory training.SummaryThese recent advancements should promote the understanding of psychophysical olfactory testing, the association between individual subcomponents and neurophysiological processes, and pave the way for precision assessment and treatment of the olfactory dysfunction.
Background: Olfactory dysfunction significantly reduces quality of life, with a prevalence as high as 20% in the general adult population. Odor identification (OI) tests are culturally dependent and widely used in clinical and epidemiological evaluations of olfaction. We aimed to develop a Chinese odor identification test (COIT) based on the Sniffin' Sticks identification test. Methods: Patients (n=60) with olfactory disorders and healthy controls (n=404) were recruited in the Smell and Taste Center of a tertiary-care university hospital. Unfamiliar odors in the Sniffin' Sticks identification test were replaced to create a 16-item COIT, which was validated with a simplified Chinese version of the Cross-culture Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT) and Sniffin' Sticks. A test-retest reliability of COIT was also conducted.Results: Six odors with a correct recognition rate <75% were replaced with familiar odors for Chinese.The COIT score significantly correlated with both Sniffin' Sticks (r=0.755 P<0.0001) and CC-SIT score (r=0.7462 P<0.0001). Based on the testing results of an additional 120 subjects, we concluded that scores of 12-16, 7-11, and 0-6 corresponded to normosmia, hyposmia, and anosmia, respectively. The 3-month testretest-reliability coefficient was as high as 0.83. Conclusions:The COIT is an effective tool for assessing olfactory function in the Chinese population.
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