title: A pilot study of the Self-Administered Computerized Olfactory Testing System.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Self-Administered Computerized Olfactory Testing System (SCOTS) was developed recently to perform the olfactory threshold test under computer control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of the SCOTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 180 subjects were tested for olfactory thresholds using an odor detection threshold test and the SCOTS. There were 60 normosmic volunteers, 60 hyposmic patients, and 60 anosmic patients. Among them, 30 normosmic subjects were retested with the SCOTS at least 1 day after the first test occasion. The olfactory threshold test and retest results from the SCOTS were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean olfactory threshold attained from the SCOTS was -5.48 for normosmic subjects, -3.18 for hyposmic patients, and -2 for anosmic patients. The olfactory thresholds among the normosmic, hyposmic, and anosmic patients were significantly different (p < .001). The correlation coefficient between the olfactory thresholds of an odor detection threshold test and the SCOTS was 0.809 (p < .001). The test-retest correlation for the SCOTS-based olfactory thresholds was strong (r = 0.671; p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that on the basis of its validity and test-retest reliability, the SCOTS was appropriate for self-administered tests of the olfactory threshold.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Rong-San
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kai-Li
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult