{"title":"The olfactory test established by Henkin: is it reliable and does it correlate to established psychophysical tests?","authors":"Anna Kristina Hernandez, Irina Käb, Thomas Hummel","doi":"10.1007/s00405-024-08900-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This pilot study aimed to determine whether the Henkin olfactory test discriminates between the olfactory function of patients with olfactory loss and healthy individuals, and whether the Henkin test is correlated with a validated psychophysical olfactory test.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants underwent olfactory testing using the modified Henkin test (including detection [DT] and recognition [RT] thresholds, magnitude estimation [ME], and hedonic ratings [H], for four different odors) and the extended \"Sniffin' Sticks\" test battery (odor detection, discrimination, identification).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-four individuals (28 women, aged 19-81 years, mean: 39 years) were included. Twenty-three were healthy (mean age: 38 years) and 21 had olfactory dysfunction (OD) (mean age: 40 years). OD patients had worse mean DT, lower composite RT, and lower ME ratings. Mean and individual odor H ratings were not significantly different between the groups. Most individuals were classified as hyposmic when using the prescribed classification by Henkin, with only very few satisfying the stringent criteria of anosmia and normosmia. Modified Henkin subtests were all positively correlated with each other and with the \"Sniffin' Sticks\", except for Unpleasant Mean H which was only correlated with Pleasant Mean H; and Pleasant mean H which was not correlated with mean DT scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Henkin test is able to separate between OD patients and controls. However, modifications to the conduct of this test may be required. Studies that used this test should be carefully interpreted.</p><p><strong>Level of evidence: 3: </strong></p>","PeriodicalId":11952,"journal":{"name":"European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11416371/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-024-08900-w","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/8/23 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: This pilot study aimed to determine whether the Henkin olfactory test discriminates between the olfactory function of patients with olfactory loss and healthy individuals, and whether the Henkin test is correlated with a validated psychophysical olfactory test.
Methods: Participants underwent olfactory testing using the modified Henkin test (including detection [DT] and recognition [RT] thresholds, magnitude estimation [ME], and hedonic ratings [H], for four different odors) and the extended "Sniffin' Sticks" test battery (odor detection, discrimination, identification).
Results: Forty-four individuals (28 women, aged 19-81 years, mean: 39 years) were included. Twenty-three were healthy (mean age: 38 years) and 21 had olfactory dysfunction (OD) (mean age: 40 years). OD patients had worse mean DT, lower composite RT, and lower ME ratings. Mean and individual odor H ratings were not significantly different between the groups. Most individuals were classified as hyposmic when using the prescribed classification by Henkin, with only very few satisfying the stringent criteria of anosmia and normosmia. Modified Henkin subtests were all positively correlated with each other and with the "Sniffin' Sticks", except for Unpleasant Mean H which was only correlated with Pleasant Mean H; and Pleasant mean H which was not correlated with mean DT scores.
Conclusion: The Henkin test is able to separate between OD patients and controls. However, modifications to the conduct of this test may be required. Studies that used this test should be carefully interpreted.
期刊介绍:
Official Journal of
European Union of Medical Specialists – ORL Section and Board
Official Journal of Confederation of European Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Head and Neck Surgery
"European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology" publishes original clinical reports and clinically relevant experimental studies, as well as short communications presenting new results of special interest. With peer review by a respected international editorial board and prompt English-language publication, the journal provides rapid dissemination of information by authors from around the world. This particular feature makes it the journal of choice for readers who want to be informed about the continuing state of the art concerning basic sciences and the diagnosis and management of diseases of the head and neck on an international level.
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology was founded in 1864 as "Archiv für Ohrenheilkunde" by A. von Tröltsch, A. Politzer and H. Schwartze.