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Retronasal testing of olfactory function: an investigation and comparison in seven countries

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Flavor perception is to a large extent determined by olfaction, and persons who lost their sense of smell consequently complain about strongly reduced enjoyment of food. The retronasal olfactory function is especially important for flavor appreciation. The aim of this study was to compare retronasal function across different cultures and to develop a test that is applicable across cultures. Identification of 39 retronasal applied odor probes was tested in a total of 518 participants of seven countries; 292 of them were healthy, and 226 exhibited a smell disorder. A retest was performed with 224 of the healthy participants. Furthermore, all participants were tested for orthonasal threshold, identification, and discrimination ability. Significant cultural differences in identification ability were found in 92 % of the probes. The 20 probes that could be identified above chance in healthy participants of all countries and that could differentiate between patients and controls were selected for the final retronasal test. This test was well able to differentiate between controls and patients in different countries and showed a good coherence with the orthonasal test (r = 0.80) and a good retest-reliability (r = 0.76). Furthermore, it is age-independent. The strong cultural differences observed in retronasal identification underline the necessity to develop a culturally independent instrument. This retronasal test is easy to apply and can be used across different countries for diagnostics and clinical research.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Felipe Culaciati for his help in collecting parts of the data in Spain.

Sources for support: No current external funding sources for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden Medical School, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Ilona Croy, Heike Hoffmann & Thomas Hummel

  2. Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, James Paget University Hospital, Norfolk, UK

    Carl Philpott

  3. ORL—Rhinologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Av Hippocrate 10, 1200, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Philippe Rombaux

  4. Universitäts-HNO Klinik, Petersgraben 4, 4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Antje Welge-Luessen

  5. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jan Vodicka

  6. 2nd Academic ORL Department, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Iordanis Konstantinidis

  7. F.E.A. ORL, Hospital Universitario Son Espases Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spanien

    Eduardo Morera

  8. Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic

    Jan Vodicka

Authors
  1. Ilona Croy
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  2. Heike Hoffmann
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  3. Carl Philpott
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  4. Philippe Rombaux
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  7. Iordanis Konstantinidis
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  9. Thomas Hummel
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Correspondence to Thomas Hummel.

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Croy, I., Hoffmann, H., Philpott, C. et al. Retronasal testing of olfactory function: an investigation and comparison in seven countries. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 271, 1087–1095 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-013-2684-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-013-2684-9

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