Olfactory testing in children using objective tools: comparison of Sniffin' Sticks and University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)

• Published in: Journal of otolaryngology 2015-03, Vol.44 (1), p.10-10
• Main Authors: Hugh, Sarah C, Siu, Jennifer, Hummel, Thomas, Forte, Vito, Campisi, Paolo, Papsin, Blake C, Propst, Evan J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Comparative analysis; Female; Food; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Odorants; Olfaction Disorders - diagnosis; Original; Predictive Value of Tests; Safety and security measures; Sensory Thresholds; Universities and colleges
• ISSN: 1916-0216; 1916-0208; 1916-0216
• DOI: 10.1186/s40463-015-0061-y

Detection of olfactory dysfunction is important for fire and food safety. Clinical tests of olfaction have been developed for adults but their use in children has been limited because they were felt to be unreliable in children under six years of age. We therefore administered two olfactory tests to children and compared results across tests. Two olfactory tests (Sniffin' Sticks and University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)) were administered to 78 healthy children ages 3 to 12 years. Children were randomized to one of two groups: Group 1 performed the UPSIT first and Sniffin' Sticks second, and Group 2 performed Sniffin' Sticks first and UPSIT second. All children were able to complete both olfactory tests. Performance on both tests was similar for children 5 and 6 years of age. There was an age-dependent increase in score on both tests (p