A study of the relationship between the T&T olfactometer and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test in a Japanese population

Am J Rhinol. 1998 Sep-Oct;12(5):353-8. doi: 10.2500/105065898780182390.

Abstract

The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and a smell ability questionnaire were administered to 167 Japanese volunteers ranging in age from 20 to 59 years. Of these subjects, 80 also received the T&T olfactometer threshold test. Of the latter subjects, 36 were patients tested before endoscopic nasal surgery for sinusitis and polyposis. The patients exhibited decreased smell function, as measured by the T&T olfactometer, the UPSIT, and a 30-item version of the UPSIT in which the 10 least familiar items were removed (ps < 0.001). Spearman correlations ranging from 0.53 to 0.70 were found between (i) scores on the 30- and 40-item UPSITs and (ii) the T&T detection and recognition threshold values. Significant correlations were found between scores on the smell ability questionnaire and the olfactory test measures (UPSIT30 r = 0.56; UPSIT40 r = 0.58; T&T detection r = 0.56; T&T recognition r = 0.69, p < 0.001), indicating that subjects are relatively accurate in assessing their olfactory ability. This study suggests that the 30 and 40-item UPSITs correlate well with measures derived from the T&T olfactometer, and that all three tests are sensitive to the smell loss of Japanese sinusitis/polyposis patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nasal Polyps / complications
  • Olfaction Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Olfaction Disorders / etiology
  • Olfaction Disorders / psychology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sensory Thresholds*
  • Sinusitis / complications
  • Smell*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / standards*