Assessment of odor hedonic perception: the Sniffin’ sticks parosmia test (SSParoT)

Abstract Qualitative olfactory dysfunction is characterized as distorted odor perception and can have a profound effect on quality of life of affected individuals. Parosmia and phantosmia represent the two main subgroups of qualitative impairment and are currently diagnosed based on patient history only. We have developed a test method which measures qualitative olfactory function based on the odors of the Sniffin’ Sticks Identification subtest. The newly developed test is called Sniffin’ Sticks Parosmia Test (SSParoT). SSParoT uses hedonic estimates of two oppositely valenced odors (pleasant and unpleasant) to assess hedonic range (HR) and hedonic direction (HD), which represent qualitative olfactory perception. HR is defined as the perceivable hedonic distance between two oppositely valenced odors, while HD serves as an indicator for overall hedonic perception of odors. This multicenter study enrolled a total of 162 normosmic subjects in four consecutive experiments. Cluster analysis was used to group odors from the 16-item Sniffin’ Sticks Identification test and 24-additional odors into clusters with distinct hedonic properties. Eleven odor pairs were found to be suitable for estimation of HR and HD. Analysis showed agreement between test–retest sessions for all odor pairs. SSparoT might emerge as a valuable tool to assess qualitative olfactory function in health and disease.

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4347 Bimodal Visual-Olfactory Training for Post-Surgical or Post-Traumatic Olfactory Dysfunction (VOLT Trial)

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ◽

10.1017/cts.2020.110 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (s1) ◽

pp. 23-24

Author(s):

Andrew Michael Peterson ◽

Dorina Kallogjeri ◽

Jay Piccirillo

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Olfactory Function ◽

Quality Of Life Questionnaires ◽

Patient Reported ◽

Identification Test ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Smell Identification ◽

Olfactory Training

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: 1) Assess the patient-reported, perceived change in olfactory function after bimodal visual-olfactory training (OT) 2) Assess change in olfactory function after bimodal visual-olfactory training with a smell identification test 3) Assess which scents are most important to people with olfactory dysfunction (OD) METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The participants are adults with subjective or clinically diagnosed OD with post-surgical or traumatic etiologies within the last 5 years. At the first of two study visits, participants complete the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and complete general health (SF-36) and olfactory-related quality-of-life questionnaires. From a list of 34 scents, participants chose the 4 scents most important to them and smelled the scents twice daily for 3 months. Olfactory testing and the quality-of-life questionnaires were repeated at the final visit. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: 10 participants have enrolled in the study. There was one screen fail and one withdrawal. Six participants are currently undergoing OT and two have completed the study. Seven participants have post-surgical etiology and three have post-traumatic etiology of their OD. Of the two participants who have completed the study, one had an UPSIT score improvement from 25 to 33 out of the 40 questions correct. The minimally clinically important difference on the UPSIT is 4. She reports improvement subjectively. The second participant had a UPSIT score change from 25 to 24 and reports ability to smell is neither better nor worse. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Traumatic and post-surgical, particularly post-transphenoidal hypophysectomy, are common etiologies of OD and no effective treatments exist. The results from our pilot study will help better inform the best way to undergo OT, how effective it is, and the planning of future studies.

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Association between olfactory function and quality of life in patients with olfactory disorders: a multicenter study in over 760 participants

Rhinology Journal ◽

10.4193/rhin20.403 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

pp. 0-0

Author(s):

L-q. Zou ◽

T. Hummel ◽

M.S. Otte ◽

T. Bitter ◽

G. Besser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Disease Duration ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Olfactory Function ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Visual Analog Scales ◽

Related Quality ◽

The Individual

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional, multi-centric study aimed to investigate the differences in quality of life among patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD) of different origin, and to identify factors associated with olfactory-related quality of life (QOL). METHODS: Seven hundred sixty-three adults were recruited from 8 Smell & Taste clinics in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Olfactory-related QOL was assessed by the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (QOD). Olfactory function was assessed with the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test; self-assessment was performed with visual analog scales. RESULTS: Patients with post-infectious and post-traumatic OD showed poorer olfactory-related QOL than patients with sinonasal and idiopathic OD. The olfactory-related QOL was positively associated with the Sniffin’ Sticks test score, self-assessed olfactory function, disease duration, and age, with younger olfactory dysfunction patients showing lower QOL. Female patients presented with poorer olfactory-related QOL. In addition, the results showed that self-assessment of olfactory function explained more of the variance in olfactory-related QOL than olfactory function evaluated by the Sniffin’ Sticks test. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the psychophysical testing results, several factors such as disease cause, disease duration, sex, or self- assessed olfactory dysfunction should be taken into account when assessing the individual severity of the smell loss.

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What is the Correlation between Ratings and Measures of Olfactory Function in Patients with Olfactory Loss?

American Journal of Rhinology ◽

10.1177/194589240501900606 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 567-571 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Antje Welge-Luessen ◽

Thomas Hummel ◽

Tomislav Stojan ◽

Markus Wolfensberger

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Olfactory Function ◽

Moderate Correlation ◽

Individual Basis ◽

Olfactory Loss ◽

Visual Analog Scales ◽

Olfactory Testing ◽

Olfactory Abilities

Background Major complaints of many patients with olfactory dysfunction relate to the impairment of quality of life. Nevertheless, it is unclear to what extent there is a correlation between ratings of olfactory abilities/impairment and olfactory function. Methods Patients with olfactory dysfunction (n = 152) were examined psychometrically using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test battery. Ratings of olfactory function and ratings of impairment were recorded using visual analog scales. Results Following standardized olfactory testing, 78 of the 152 patients were categorized as functionally anosmic, 64 as hyposmic, and 10 as normosmic. Groups differed significantly with regard to ratings of olfactory function. Functionally anosmic patients rated impairment to be significantly higher compared with hyposmic and normosmic patients. Ratings of olfactory function correlated significantly with measured olfactory function (r = +0.57) and ratings of impairment (r = —0.30). Conclusion There was a moderate correlation between ratings and measures of olfactory function. On average, functionally anosmic patients recognized their olfactory loss, although, on an individual basis, there were striking differences between measures and ratings of olfactory function.

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Mucosal Eosinophilia and Neutrophilia Are Not Associated With QOL or Olfactory Function in Chronic Rhinosinusitis

American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy ◽

10.1177/1945892420987439 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194589242098743

Author(s):

Nyssa F. Farrell ◽

Jess C. Mace ◽

David A. Sauer ◽

Andrew J. Thomas ◽

Mathew Geltzeiler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Chronic Rhinosinusitis ◽

Nasal Polyposis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Olfactory Function ◽

Sinus Surgery ◽

Small Subset ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Snot 22

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is often differentiated by histopathologic phenotypes (eosinophilic versus neutrophilic), which may impact disease severity measures and outcomes. As such, it has been suggested that counts of cellular elements be included as part of a standard pathological report following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Objectives This cross-sectional study evaluated associations of mucosal eosinophilia and neutrophilia with measures of quality-of-life (QoL) and olfactory function. Methods Patients with medically refractory CRS completed the SNOT-22 survey and Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) at enrollment. In addition, baseline Lund-Mackay computed tomography (CT) and Lund-Kennedy endoscopy scores were collected. Ethmoid mucosa was biopsied during ESS and reviewed using microscopy to quantify densest infiltrate of eosinophils or neutrophils per high-powered-field (HPF). Eosinophilic CRS (eCRS) and neutrophilic CRS (nCRS), both with and without nasal polyposis (NP), were compared across SNOT-22 and BSIT scores. Results 77/168 patients demonstrated mucosal eosinophilia (eCRS) while a total of 42/168 patients demonstrated mucosal neutrophilia (nCRS). After adjusting for polyp status, 35/168 had eCRSsNP, 42/168 eCRSwNP, 75/168 non-eCRSsNP, 16/168 non-eCRSwNP. Additionally, 22/161 were noted to have nCRSsNP, 20/161 nCRSwNP, 84/161 non-nCRSwNP, and 35/161 non-nCRSsNP. A small subset of patients demonstrated both eosinophilia and neutrophilia: 14 CRSwNP and 7 CRSsNP. When evaluating average Lund-Mackay Scores (LMS), significant differences existed between non-eCRSsNP and eCRSsNP (p = 0.006). However, after controlling for nasal polyps, eosinophilia did not significantly associate with differences in the Lund-Kennedy Score. Neutrophilia did not significantly associate with any changes in LMS or LKS after controlling for NP. Eosinophilic and neutrophilic histopathologic subtypes did not significantly associate with differences in baseline SNOT-22 or BSIT measures after controlling for NP. Conclusion Neither the presence of mucosal eosinophilia nor mucosal neutrophilia demonstrated significant associations with SNOT-22 quality-of-life or BSIT olfactory function scores when controlling for comorbid nasal polyposis.

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Reliability and validity of a brief version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (brief QOD) in patients with olfactory dysfunction

Rhinology Journal ◽

10.4193/rhin21.059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

pp. 0-0

Author(s):

L. Zou ◽

A. Haehner ◽

S. Menzel ◽

N. Gunder ◽

T. Hummel

Keyword(s):

Disease Burden ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Olfactory Function ◽

Professional Life ◽

Disability Assessment ◽

Treatment Control ◽

Visual Analog Scales ◽

Olfactory Disorder

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the brief version of Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (brief QOD). Methods: A total of 372 patients participated in this study. Olfactory function was examined using the Sniffin’ Sticks test. The brief version of QOD, including 4 items concerning parosmia (QOD-P), 7 items concerning quality of life (QOD-QOL), and 3 visual analog scales to rate disease burden, awareness of the disorder and issues related to professional life (QOD-VAS), was used to assess subjective information on olfactory dysfunction. We evaluated the split-half reliability, internal consistency and validity of the brief QOD. Results: The split-half reliability was 0.60 (QOD-P), 0.87 (QOD-QOL), and 0.66 (QOD-VAS), respectively. The Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.63 (QOD-P), 0.87 (QOD-QOL), and 0.71 (QOD-VAS), respectively. Olfactory function was found to be associated with QOD-P, QOD-QOL and QOD-VAS. Conclusions: The brief QOD is a suitable scale for the assessment of subjective severity of olfactory dysfunction for purposes such as treatment counseling, disability assessment, treatment control, and research in patients with olfactory disorder.

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Post-traumatic brain injury olfactory dysfunction: Factors influencing quality of life

Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.rehab.2018.05.531 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 ◽

pp. e229-e230

Author(s):

F. Ahmedy ◽

M.Z. Abu Bakar ◽

M. Mazlan

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Post Traumatic

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Machine-Learning Points at Endoscopic, Quality of Life, and Olfactory Parameters as Outcome Criteria for Endoscopic Paranasal Sinus Surgery in Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10184245 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (18) ◽

pp. 4245

Author(s):

Jörn Lötsch ◽

Constantin A. Hintschich ◽

Petros Petridis ◽

Jürgen Pade ◽

Thomas Hummel

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Machine Learning ◽

Chronic Rhinosinusitis ◽

Paranasal Sinus ◽

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Olfactory Function ◽

Sinus Surgery ◽

Paranasal Sinus Surgery

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is often treated by functional endoscopic paranasal sinus surgery, which improves endoscopic parameters and quality of life, while olfactory function was suggested as a further criterion of treatment success. In a prospective cohort study, 37 parameters from four categories were recorded from 60 men and 98 women before and four months after endoscopic sinus surgery, including endoscopic measures of nasal anatomy/pathology, assessments of olfactory function, quality of life, and socio-demographic or concomitant conditions. Parameters containing relevant information about changes associated with surgery were examined using unsupervised and supervised methods, including machine-learning techniques for feature selection. The analyzed cohort included 52 men and 38 women. Changes in the endoscopic Lildholdt score allowed separation of baseline from postoperative data with a cross-validated accuracy of 85%. Further relevant information included primary nasal symptoms from SNOT-20 assessments, and self-assessments of olfactory function. Overall improvement in these relevant parameters was observed in 95% of patients. A ranked list of criteria was developed as a proposal to assess the outcome of functional endoscopic sinus surgery in CRS patients with nasal polyposis. Three different facets were captured, including the Lildholdt score as an endoscopic measure and, in addition, disease-specific quality of life and subjectively perceived olfactory function.

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Depresión, ansiedad y salud autopercibida en estudiantes de Medicina: un estudio transversal.

Revista Española de Educación Médica ◽

10.6018/edumed.470371 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 21-31

Author(s):

Iván Gutiérrez Pastor ◽

Jose Antonio Quesada Rico ◽

Aarón Gutiérrez Pastor ◽

Rauf Nouni García ◽

María Concepción Carratalá Munuera

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Medical Students ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Alcohol Use Disorders ◽

Perceived Health ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Identification Test ◽

Academic Year ◽

De Medicina

La salud mental de estudiantes universitarios es un motivo de investigación a nivel internacional. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la prevalencia de ansiedad, depresión y estado de salud autopercibida de los estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad Miguel Hernández y analizar su asociación con diferentes variables sociodemográficas y del estilo de vida. Para ello, se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal de estudiantes de medicina de 1º a 6º curso de la Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche durante el curso 2019-20. Se utilizaron la Escala Visual Analógica (EVA) del European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), la Escala de Ansiedad y Depresión de Goldberg (EADG), el estudio Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED), el Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) y el Test de Fagerström. Todos los cuestionarios están validados en España. Para el análisis se ajustaron modelos logísticos multivariantes. Fueron encuestados 474 estudiantes. La tasa de respuesta global fue del 55.26%. Un 68.1% de la muestra eran mujeres. Se estimó una prevalencia de probable ansiedad del 54.9%, probable depresión del 60.9% y probable ansiedad o depresión del 73.3%. La salud autopercibida regular-mala-muy mala fue del 8.9%. Se detectó una asociación estadísticamente significativa con el sexo, la edad, el curso académico, el municipio de residencia, el tipo de alimentación, la actividad física y el consumo de tóxicos. Como conclusión, los estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad Miguel Hernández presentaron una prevalencia alta de probable ansiedad y depresión. Se observaron diferencias en función del sexo, curso académico, tipo de alimentación y consumo de tóxicos. The mental health of university students is a reason for international research. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and self-perceived health status of medical students from the Miguel Hernandez University and analyze their association with different sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. We did a cross-sectional descriptive study of medical students from 1st to 6th year of the Miguel Hernandez University during the 2019-20 academic year. They were used the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS), the Mediterranean Diet Prevention study (PREDIMED), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) and the Fagerström Test were used. All the questionnaires are validated in Spain. For the analysis, multivariate logistic models were adjusted. They were surveyed 474 students. The overall response rate was 55.26%. 68.1% of the sample were women. A prevalence of probable anxiety of 54.9%; probable depression of 60.9% and probable anxiety or depression of 73.3% was estimated. Regular-bad-very bad self-perceived health was only 8.9%. A statistically significant association was detected between the aforementioned variables and sex, age, academic year, municipality of residence, type of diet, physical activity and consumption of toxics. The medical students of the Miguel Hernandez University presented a high prevalence of probable anxiety and depression. Differences were observed based on sex, academic year, type of diet and consumption of toxic drugs.

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