Presentation Details
Unveiling the Olfactory Function Spectrum: Linking University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) Scores to Subjective Evaluations

Shima T.Moein1, 2, Rafa Khan1, Richard L.Doty1, 2.

1Smell and Taste Center, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.2Research & Development Division, Sensonics International, Haddon Heights, NJ, USA

Abstract


Understanding the crucial link between patients' subjective evaluations of olfactory dysfunction and objective clinical measurements is paramount for informed healthcare decisions. In this cross-sectional study, subjects were meticulously selected from a dataset of 4,009 data records at the University of Pennsylvania Smell & Taste Center. The focus was on 1,948 patients with olfactory function complaints, compared to 502 patients without such complaints. The standardized protocol included a detailed questionnaire and psychophysical objective assessments using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). Participants were categorized into six groups based on subjective evaluations: anosmia (n = 1,202, females = 669), phantosmia (n = 74, females = 42), parosmia (n = 163, females = 101), hyposmia (n = 460, females = 263), hyperosmia (n = 49, females = 28), and normosmia (n = 502, females = 270). UPSIT scores revealed a distinct spectrum pattern, with average [95% CI] scores as follows: anosmia (15.74 [15.29, 16.19]), phantosmia (25.85 [23.92, 27.78]), parosmia (25.40 [24.04, 26.76]), hyposmia (24.98 [24.14, 25.81]), hyperosmia (31.57 [29.75, 33.39]), and normosmia (32.05 [31.52, 32.58]). Anosmia patients exhibited significantly lower UPSIT scores compared to all other groups (ANOVA, p <0.0001). Patients with parosmia and phantosmia had UPSIT scores not significantly different from those with hyposmia (p = 0.95, p = 0.99 respectively). Intriguingly, objectively assessed hypersensitive patients showed lower UPSIT scores than those with a normal sense of smell, challenging assumptions about odor sensitivity in clinical settings. This study unveils the relationship between subjective odor perception and objective measurements, shedding light on the complexities of olfactory dysfunction.

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