Relationship between the Korean Version of the Sniffin' Stick Test and the T&T Olfactometer in the Korean Population.
OBJECTIVE
The Korean version of the Sniffin' stick (KVSS) test is widely used in Korea to evaluate olfactory function. However, its validity and reliability have not been studied well. In this study, the authors administered the KVSS and the T%T olfactometer test to evaluate olfactory function and to establish relationships between these two test measures.


METHODS
Two hundred and eleven patients participated in this prospective randomized study. One hundred and nine patients with no olfactory symptoms and 102 patients with decreased olfaction participated. All participants were underwent KVSS II and T&T olfactometer testing.


RESULTS
The mean recognition threshold of the T&T olfactometer was -1.8±0.9 for patients with normal olfaction and 4.0±2.6 for patients with decreased olfaction. The mean Threshold-Discrimination-Identification score of the KVSS II was 30.0±3.8 for patients with normal olfaction and 15.9±7.1 for patients with decreased olfaction. Correlation coefficient between the two tests was significantly high (r(s)=-0.725, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The KVSS and T&T olfactometry test are both reliable tests of olfactory function and their results are well correlated with each other.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sung-Moon
SM
Hong
Il-Ho
IH
Park
Kyoung-Min
KM
Kim
Jae-Min
JM
Shin
Heung-Man
HM
Lee