Development of an International Odor Identification Test for Children: The Universal Sniff Test

Valentin A. Schriever*, Eduardo Agosin, Aytug Altundag, Hadas Avni, Helene Cao Van, Carlos Cornejo, Gonzalo de los Santos, Gad Fishman, Claudio Fragola, Marco Guarneros, Neelima Gupta, Robyn Hudson, Reda Kamel, Antti Knaapila, Iordanis Konstantinidis, Basile N. Landis, Maria Larsson, Johan N. Lundström, Alberto Macchi, Franklin Mariño-SánchezLenka Martinec Nováková, Eri Mori, Joaquim Mullol, Marie Nord, Valentina Parma, Carl Philpott, Evan J. Propst, Ahmed Rawan, Mari Sandell, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Piotr Sorokowski, Lisa Marie Sparing-Paschke, Carolin Stetzler, Claudia Valder, Jan Vodicka, Thomas Hummel

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

82 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To assess olfactory function in children and to create and validate an odor identification test to diagnose olfactory dysfunction in children, which we called the Universal Sniff (U-Sniff) test. Study design: This is a multicenter study involving 19 countries. The U-Sniff test was developed in 3 phases including 1760 children age 5-7 years. Phase 1: identification of potentially recognizable odors; phase 2: selection of odorants for the odor identification test; and phase 3: evaluation of the test and acquisition of normative data. Test—retest reliability was evaluated in a subgroup of children (n = 27), and the test was validated using children with congenital anosmia (n = 14). Results: Twelve odors were familiar to children and, therefore, included in the U-Sniff test. Children scored a mean ± SD of 9.88 ± 1.80 points out of 12. Normative data was obtained and reported for each country. The U-Sniff test demonstrated a high test—retest reliability (r 27 = 0.83, P <.001) and enabled discrimination between normosmia and children with congenital anosmia with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%. Conclusions: The U-Sniff is a valid and reliable method of testing olfaction in children and can be used internationally.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)265-272.e3
JournalJournal of Pediatrics
Volume198
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2018
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social SciencesM14-0375:1
Univerzita Karlova v Praze
Technology Agency of the Czech RepublicTA04011114
Deutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftHU 411/181
Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy
Grantová Agentura České RepublikyGA17-14534S
Academy of Finland
Technische Universität Dresden
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung
Ministerstwo Edukacji i NaukiIP2014 043773
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden

    Keywords

    • Sniffin’ Sticks
    • children
    • olfaction
    • olfactory dysfunction
    • smell testing

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