Cross-cultural Application of the "Sniffin' Sticks" Odor Identification Test

Background: Odor identification tasks are an important tool for the clinical assessment of olfactory function. However, cultural differences prevent odor identification tests from being used in different countries, because odor identification is strongly dependent on familiarity with these odors. The "Sniffin' Sticks" olfactory test has been developed in Europe and is used for assessment of olfactory function in many European countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of the "Sniffin' Sticks" odor identification test in an area with a different culture compared with its place of origin.

Methods: The 16 odors in the ''Sniffin' Stick'' odor identification test were kept the same but some descriptors were changed compared with the original version. One odor was presented for 3 seconds. Then, subjects chose an item from a list of four descriptors. Two hundred two subjectively normosmic subjects were tested. Forty-two subjects were retested 1 week after the first test.

Results: Mean odor identification scores of age groups 18-35 years, 36-55 years, and >55 years were 14.8, 14.7, and 13.3, respectively. The score at the 10th percentile was 13.0 in the youngest group of subjects. Age-related decrease of odor identification scores was clearly established. The decrease of the odor identification score was most obvious in subjects aged 63-67 years. The coefficient of correlation between test and retest was 0.76.

Conclusion: After revision of the descriptors, the ''Sniffin' Sticks'' odor identification test appears to be suited for assessment of olfactory identification function in an Asian region.