A pilot study of the Self-Administered Computerized Olfactory Testing System

Background: The Self-Administered Computerized Olfactory Testing System (SCOTS) was developed recently to perform the olfactory threshold test under computer control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of the SCOTS. Methodology: A total of 180 subjects were tested for olfactory thresholds using an odor detection threshold test and the SCOTS. There were 60 normosmic volunteers, 60 hyposmic patients, and 60 anosmic patients. Among them, 30 normosmic subjects were retested with the SCOTS at least 1 day after the first test occasion. The olfactory threshold test and retest results from the SCOTS were compared. Results: The mean olfactory threshold attained from the SCOTS was -5.48 for normosmic subjects, -3.18 for hyposmic patients, and -2 for anosmic patients. The olfactory thresholds among the normosmic, hyposmic, and anosmic patients were significantly different (p<.001). The correlation coefficient between the olfactory thresholds of an odor detection threshold test and the SCOTS was 0.809 (p<.001). The test-retest correlation for the SCOTS-based olfactory thresholds was strong (r = 0.671; p<.001). Conclusion: Our results show that on the basis of its validity and test-retest reliability, the SCOTS was appropriate for self-administered tests of the olfactory threshold.