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  • Title: Fine-tuned evaluation of olfactory function in patients operated for nasal polyposis.
    Author: Sonnet MH, Nguyen DT, Nguyen-Thi PL, Arous F, Jankowski R, Rumeau C.
    Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol; 2017 Jul; 274(7):2837-2843. PubMed ID: 28447155.
    Abstract:
    Given the forced-choice procedure of the identification test, patients with profound anosmia are more likely to have higher identification scores by chance than patients with hyposmia or normosmia. This may be a confusing factor when assessing the sense of smell, which alters the appreciation of real olfaction improvement. The aim of this study was to fine-tune the results of the identification Sniffin' Sticks test before and 6 weeks after surgery using the real identification score. A total of 133 patients underwent the Identification (I) and Threshold (T) tests the day before and 6 weeks after nasalization surgery. The scores of the identification test, called I G (global identification), were ranked from 0 to 16. Patients had to specify if their forced-choice answers were given either surely or randomly, called I H (hazard identification). The real score of identification I R was obtained as follow: I R = I G - I H. Patients with an immeasurable threshold according to the T test were more prone to give randomly correct answers. On the basis of I G scores, 43.6% of patients remained hypo-anosmic after surgery compared to 72.9% before surgery. Using I R scores, only 3.8% of patients remained anosmic (I R = 0) at 6 weeks after surgery. Hence, patients with real anosmia (I R = 0) were less prone to improve their olfaction than patients with I R > 0. The analysis of random factor when using identification test allows differentiating a real anosmia from a hyposmia. An I G ≤ 4 could be considered as a profound/real anosmia or a severe hyposmia. This procedure cannot, however, replace the forced-choice method in odor identification testing.
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