The Applicability of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test and Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test in Taiwan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The 40-item University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) is possibly the most frequently used smell test in the world. It has the advantages of high reliability, convenience, and accuracy. However, a number of the odors of UPSIT are not universally familiar. Therefore, a 12-item odor identification test, termed the Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT), which incorporates multicultural odorant items was developed. METHODS: Healthy female nurse students participated in this study. First of all, their smell functions were measured by the phenyl ethyl alcohol odor detection threshold test to confirm their normal olfactory threshold function. If the olfactory threshold was above-6, the subject was excluded from this study. Then, they were asked about their smell experiences of 51 odor descriptors in UPSIT and 29 in CC-SIT. Finally, these subjects did UPSIT and CC-SIT to determine their olfactory identification function. RESULTS: Forty eligible subjects were included in the study between December, 2001 and March, 2002. When smell experiences were asked, more than one third of subjects did not have smell experiences of 17 odor descriptors in UPSIT and 5 in CC-SIT. The odor descriptors used in UPSIT and CC-SIT were similarly familiar to testing subjects. The odor identification scores were from 28 to 37 with a mean of 32.6 for UPSIT and from 7 to 12 with a mean of 9.5 for CC-SIT. More than one third of subjects did not correctly identify 10 odorants in UPSIT and 3 in CC-SIT. CONCLUSIONS: UPSIT needs some modifications before it can be used in Taiwan to evaluate olfactory function, and CC-SIT is not better than UPSIT in its applicability in Taiwan.