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Corvinus

Statistical overview of the Sniffin’ sticks olfactory test from the perspectives of anosmia and hyposmia

Sipos, László ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4584-6697, Galambosi, Zsófia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2425-4414, Bozóki, Sándor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4170-4613 and Szádoczki, Zsombor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2586-5660 (2025) Statistical overview of the Sniffin’ sticks olfactory test from the perspectives of anosmia and hyposmia. Scientific Reports, 15 . DOI 10.1038/s41598-025-93380-z

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93380-z


Abstract

The Sniffin’ Sticks test is evaluated by summing the scores of threshold, discrimination, and identification subtests to establish an olfactory diagnosis (anosmia , hyposmia , normosmia). However, variations in thresholds, ranges and inconsistencies have been observed. Statistical analyses (distributions, quantiles), protocol simulation, and implementations of the Sniffin’ Sticks test were conducted. This study contributes a statistical revision: determining a cut-off point for the total TDI score, optimising the number of alternatives in the identification subtest, and equalising correct responses (frequency, balanced in time, subsequent pairs). The upper score threshold used to diagnose anosmia is lower than the typical first-order error thresholds applied in comparable assessments ( anosmia ≤ 16.75 points, hyposmia ≥ 17 points at 90% confidence level). In the culturally adapted 16-pen Sniffin’ Sticks identification tests, the frequency of correct responses was aligned with that of the original test. However, the equalisation of the frequency of adjacent correct response pairs and the temporal occurrence of correct responses was not met in any test. The order of all correct answers that simultaneously satisfied all three matching conditions was determined. The practical significance of the results is that the recommended protocol of the Sniffin’ Sticks test system can be implemented in clinical practice with minimal modification.

Item Type:Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:Olfactory test; Sniffin’ sticks; TDI threshold; Identification; Number of alternatives; Balanced; Simulation
Divisions:Institute of Operations and Decision Sciences
Subjects:Decision making
General statistics
Funders:National Research, Development and Innovation Office, OTKA, Research Excellence Program of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Projects:TKP2021-NKTA-01 NRDIO, 145838 and Advanced-150850
DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-93380-z
ID Code:11038
Deposited By: MTMT SWORD
Deposited On:27 Mar 2025 14:20
Last Modified:27 Mar 2025 14:20

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