Odor stick identification test for Japanese patients with olfactory disturbances

Abstract

In recent years, a new stick-type odor identification test, the odor-stick identification test for Japanese (OSIT-J) has been developed in Japan. Thirteen odors familiar to Japanese people are used in this test. The OSIT-J is an olfactory discrimination test and is significantly correlated with the average recognition threshold of T & T olfactometry, which is the standard olfactory acuity test used in Japan. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of the OSIT-J in patients with olfactory disturbances. We compared the OSIT-J and T & T olfactometry results and examined the sensitivity and specificity of the OSIT-J. Using the OSIT-J, olfactory disturbances were diagnosed in more than 70% based on the average recognition threshold determined by T & T olfactometry. OSIT-J is a simple test and is recommended for use in clinical practice for evaluating olfactory disturbances.