Predictive value of the smell identification test for nigrostriatal dopaminergic depletion in Korean tremor patients.
BACKGROUND
The predictive value of Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test for nigrostriatal dopaminergic depletion in Korean tremor patients has yet to be assessed.


METHODS
Three hundred nineteen drug-naive patients who visited our clinic for the diagnosis of their tremor, and took both Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test and dopamine transporter PET were included in the data analysis. Visual grading of each PET image was performed by two independent neurologists.


RESULTS
Smell test scores were significantly correlated to the striatal dopaminergic activity (Kendall's τb = -0.291, p < 0.001). However, smell test score alone appeared to have relatively weak power for predicting dopaminergic depletion (area under the curve = 0.693). Multivariate logistic regression model with inclusion of the patient's age and symptom duration as independent variables enhanced predictive power for dopaminergic depletion (area under the curve = 0.812).


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated that Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test measurements alone may be insufficient to predict striatal dopaminergic depletion in Korean tremor patients.
Department of Neurology and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, South Korea; Department of Neurology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
Jin Yong
JY
Hong
Seok Jong
SJ
Chung
Ji E
JE
Lee
Mun Kyung
MK
Sunwoo
Phil Hyu
PH
Lee
Young H
YH
Sohn
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D014202:Tremor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*
D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004298:Dopamine
Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test; Dopamine transporter; FP-CIT; Hyposmia; Parkinson's disease