Validation of Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Test and Olfactory Disorder Questionnaire in a UK Population

Abstract

Objective: Validate the applicability of Sniffin’ Sticks in a UK population. These pen-like odor dispensing devices are used to assess threshold, discrimination, and identification. Odor identification is strongly dependent on familiarity with the odors and has an important cultural component, which has limited the usefulness of other validated tests.

Method: A prospective study of 63 subjects, 24 healthy volunteers with a reported normal sense of smell, and 39 patients with an impaired sense of smell presenting either at a rhinology or an olfactory disorder clinic. Each subject’s olfactory function was assessed using the Sniffin’ Stick test.

Results: The mean age of the subjects tested was 46.7 years; 40 female and 23 male. In the patient group, 30 were hyposmic and 9 anosmic. In the healthy volunteers group, all subjects were normosmic. The mean TDI score for patients and healthy volunteers was 21.06 (range, 8-30.5) and 33.73 (range, 29.25-37.75) respectively. Mean identification score in the 2 groups was 8.84 (range, 1-15) for patients (range) and 13.69 (range, 11-16) for healthy volunteers.

Conclusion: In our sample of the UK population the TDI and odor identification scores for healthy volunteers and patients with olfactory disorders are comparable with the normative data published on large samples of European populations. Discussion of commonly mistaken odors in the odor identification test is undertaken.