The standard clinical smell testing protocol of the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics in Amman, Jordan: JOR test

Abstract 

Objective

The aim of this study was the development of a simple clinical smell test that can be applied in Jordan and its validation against one of the standard tests, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Test (UPSIT, Sensonics Inc, Haddon Heights, NJ).

Design

A prospective validation study of a locally designed smell test was done.

Setting

The study was conducted at the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism in Amman, Jordan.

Participants

Fifty subjects were recruited to participate in this study. Twenty-five were normal healthy individuals, and 25 were patients with Kallmann syndrome.

Intervention and main outcome measures

All 50 participants underwent 2 tests, the UPSIT and the locally designed test (JOR test).The scores of all patients in both tests were compared. Test-retest reliability was determined in the same 50 subjects. All patients completed the study.

Results

Subjects who scored within normal limits on the UPSIT scored 8 to 10 on the JOR test, and people who were abnormal on the UPSIT scored between 0 and 5 on the JOR test. The correlation between the scores of both tests was almost perfect (r = 0.984, P = .000). When both tests were classified as normal and abnormal, there was a complete agreement (κ statistic = 1). Both sensitivity and specificity were 100%.

Conclusion

Given its highly significant correspondence to the UPSIT and the odor thresholds of Jordanians, our test proved valid and useful as a cross-cultural clinical test of olfactory function. In addition, it is an inexpensive, rapid test. Unfortunately, the data lacked persons with moderate impairment of smell. Therefore, the new test may not be used to assess this category of patients.