Adapting the Sniffin' Sticks olfactory test to diagnose Parkinson's disease in Estonia

• Published in: Parkinsonism & related disorders 2014-08, Vol.20 (8), p.830-833
• Main Authors: Antsov, Eva, Silveira-Moriyama, Laura, Kilk, Stela, Kadastik-Eerme, Liis, Toomsoo, Toomas, Lees, Andrew, Taba, Pille
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cultural adaption; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; Estonia; Female; Humans; Language; Male; Neurology; Olfaction Disorders - diagnosis; Olfaction Disorders - etiology; Olfactory dysfunction; Parkinson Disease - complications; Parkinson Disease - diagnosis; Parkinson's disease; Smell - physiology; Smell test; Sniffin' Sticks
• ISSN: 1353-8020; 1873-5126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2014.04.012

Abstract The aim of the study was to develop a culturally adapted translation of the 12-item smell identification test from Sniffin' Sticks (SS-12) for the Estonian population in order to help diagnose Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods A standard translation of the SS-12 was created and 150 healthy Estonians were questioned about the smells used as response options in the test. Unfamiliar smells were replaced by culturally familiar options. The adapted SS-12 was applied to 70 controls in all age groups, and thereafter to 50 PD patients and 50 age- and sex-matched controls. Results 14 response options from 48 used in the SS-12 were replaced with familiar smells in an adapted version, in which the mean rate of correct response was 87% (range 73–99) compared to 83% with the literal translation (range 50–98). In PD patients, the average adapted SS-12 score (5.4/12) was significantly lower than in controls (average score 8.9/12), p