Rapid clinical evaluation of anosmia. The alcohol sniff test.
BACKGROUND
Smell impairment affects 1% to 2% of Americans and leads to frequent physician visits. Olfactory testing is available in chemosensory centers, but not as part of a routine cranial nerve examination. The alcohol sniff test (AST), which uses the standard 70% isopropyl alcohol pad, was developed as a quick, reliable measure of olfactory function.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients and 36 healthy control subjects (N = 100) were tested with the AST and with a standard butanol threshold test.


RESULTS
The AST reliably, consistently, and correctly measured olfactory function.


CONCLUSIONS
The AST is a rapid, reliable olfactory test that can be used for screening olfactory function and should be incorporated in the routine cranial nerve examination.
Davidson
T M
TM
Department of Surgery/Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, School of Medicine, San Diego, USA.
Murphy
C
C
D000433:1-Propanol; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology
D000433:1-Propanol