Rong-San Jiang1,2,3,4, Kai-Li Liang2,3,5. 1. 1 Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 2. 2 Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 3. 3 School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 4. 4 Department of Nursing, HungKuang University, Taichung, Taiwan. 5. 5 Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The Snap & Sniff® Threshold Test (S&S) has been recently developed to determine the olfactory threshold. The aim of this study was to further evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of the S&S. METHODS: The olfactory thresholds of 120 participants were determined using both the Smell Threshold Test (STT) and the S&S. The participants included 30 normosmic volunteers and 90 patients (60 hyposmic, 30 anosmic). The normosmic participants were retested using the STT and S&S at an intertest interval of at least 1 day. RESULTS: The mean olfactory threshold determined with the S&S was -6.76 for the normosmic participants, -3.79 for the hyposmic patients, and -2 for the anosmic patients. The olfactory thresholds were significantly different across the 3 groups ( P < .001). Snap & Sniff-based and STT-based olfactory thresholds were correlated weakly in the normosmic group (correlation coefficient = 0.162, P = .391) but more strongly correlated in the patient groups (hyposmic: correlation coefficient = 0.376, P = .003; anosmic: correlation coefficient = 1.0). The test-retest correlation for the S&S-based olfactory thresholds was 0.384 ( P = .036). CONCLUSION: Based on validity and test-retest reliability, we concluded that the S&S is a proper test for olfactory thresholds.
OBJECTIVES: The Snap & Sniff® Threshold Test (S&S) has been recently developed to determine the olfactory threshold. The aim of this study was to further evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of the S&S. METHODS: The olfactory thresholds of 120 participants were determined using both the Smell Threshold Test (STT) and the S&S. The participants included 30 normosmic volunteers and 90 patients (60 hyposmic, 30 anosmic). The normosmic participants were retested using the STT and S&S at an intertest interval of at least 1 day. RESULTS: The mean olfactory threshold determined with the S&S was -6.76 for the normosmic participants, -3.79 for the hyposmic patients, and -2 for the anosmic patients. The olfactory thresholds were significantly different across the 3 groups ( P < .001). Snap & Sniff-based and STT-based olfactory thresholds were correlated weakly in the normosmic group (correlation coefficient = 0.162, P = .391) but more strongly correlated in the patient groups (hyposmic: correlation coefficient = 0.376, P = .003; anosmic: correlation coefficient = 1.0). The test-retest correlation for the S&S-based olfactory thresholds was 0.384 ( P = .036). CONCLUSION: Based on validity and test-retest reliability, we concluded that the S&S is a proper test for olfactory thresholds.