A Study of the Relationship between the T&T Olfactometer and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test in a Japanese Population

Abstract

The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and a smell ability questionnaire were administered to 167 Japanese volunteers ranging in age from 20 to 59 years. Of these subjects, 80 also received the T&T olfactometer threshold test. Of the latter subjects, 36 were patients tested before endoscopic nasal surgery for sinusitis and polyposis. The patients exhibited decreased smell function, as measured by the T&T olfactometer, the UPSIT, and a 30-item version of the UPSIT in which the 10 least familiar items were removed (ps < 0.001). Spearman correlations ranging from 0.53 to 0.70 were found between (i) scores on the 30- and 40-item UPSITs and (ii) the T&T detection and recognition threshold values. Significant correlations were found between scores on the smell ability questionnaire and the olfactory test measures (UPSIT30 r = 0.56; UPSIT40 r = 0.58; T&T detection r = 0.56; T&T recognition r = 0.69, p < 0.001), indicating that subjects are relatively accurate in assessing their olfactory ability. This study suggests that the 30 and 40-item UPSITs correlate well with measures derived from the T&T olfactometer, and that all three tests are sensitive to the smell loss of Japanese sinusitis/polyposis patients.

Olfaction in Parkinson's Disease and Aging

“…Results of T&T testing correlated well with those of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identi cation Test 14 . The olfactometer was used to test five odors : A, -phenyl ethyl alcohol rose, sweet smell ; B, methyl cyclopentenolone caramel, burnt sugar ; C, isovaleric acid rotten food, sweaty clothes ; D, -undecalactone peach, sweet fruit ; E, skatole fecal material, kitchen refuse .…”

Low specificity and sensitivity of smell identification testing for the diagnosis of Parkinson?s disease

“…also reported a decreased identification of the odors pizza, cheese and pickles in Brazilian control subjects 9 . In Japan, ten of the UPSIT odorants, including cherry, clove, fruit punch, licorice, lilac, lemon, paint thinner and pine, had an identification rate of less than 70% in normal subjects 20 .…”

Association of Olfactory Bulb Volume and Olfactory Sulcus Depth with Olfactory Function in Patients with Parkinson Disease

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that the test-retest reliability was equivalent for the T&T olfactometer and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. 25,26 In this study, we used the T&T olfactometer to evaluate the olfactory performance. As shown in Fig 2, the means of recognition thresholds were significantly higher in patients with PD than in control subjects (3.82 Ϯ 1.25 and 0.45 Ϯ 0.65 respectively; t ϭ 14.59, P Ͻ .0001).…”