TY - JOUR
T1 - Which is superior, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test or the threshold, Discrimination and Identification Test for testing human olfaction?
T2 - A systematic review
AU - Bech, Magne
AU - Jakobsen, Kathrine Kronberg
AU - Andersen, Ida Schlosshauer Brandt
AU - Pedersen, Christian Korsgaard
AU - Grønlund, Mathias Waldemar
AU - von Buchwald, Christian
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - BACKGROUND: The awareness and prevalence of olfactory dysfunction (OD) has increased significantly in recent years, with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic being a major catalyzer. Consequently, demands for reliable OD tests have also risen.AIMS: This systematic review compares two commonly used tests for olfactory assessment: the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and the Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification test (TDI). The correlation between UPSIT, TDI, and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for olfaction is also examined.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE identified articles validating UPSIT or TDI and comparing these to self-reported OD via VAS. The outcome of interest was test-retest validity and correlation.RESULTS: The search identified 1536 studies, with nine meeting inclusion criteria. UPSIT showed a 'very strong' test-retest correlation, while TDI showed a 'strong' correlation. One study addressed VAS in relation to UPSIT and five for TDI. Correlation coefficients varied between VAS and TDI/UPSIT.CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANS: UPSIT and TDI exhibited strong to very strong test-retest reliability. Due to the limited number of studies, a meta-analysis was not feasible, and neither test was found to be superior in reliability. VAS did not correlate significantly with either TDI or UPSIT.
AB - BACKGROUND: The awareness and prevalence of olfactory dysfunction (OD) has increased significantly in recent years, with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic being a major catalyzer. Consequently, demands for reliable OD tests have also risen.AIMS: This systematic review compares two commonly used tests for olfactory assessment: the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and the Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification test (TDI). The correlation between UPSIT, TDI, and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for olfaction is also examined.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE identified articles validating UPSIT or TDI and comparing these to self-reported OD via VAS. The outcome of interest was test-retest validity and correlation.RESULTS: The search identified 1536 studies, with nine meeting inclusion criteria. UPSIT showed a 'very strong' test-retest correlation, while TDI showed a 'strong' correlation. One study addressed VAS in relation to UPSIT and five for TDI. Correlation coefficients varied between VAS and TDI/UPSIT.CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANS: UPSIT and TDI exhibited strong to very strong test-retest reliability. Due to the limited number of studies, a meta-analysis was not feasible, and neither test was found to be superior in reliability. VAS did not correlate significantly with either TDI or UPSIT.
KW - Olfaction
KW - olfactory dysfunction
KW - smell
KW - validity
KW - Visual Analogue Scale
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85217165391&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00016489.2025.2458170
DO - 10.1080/00016489.2025.2458170
M3 - Review
C2 - 39907253
SN - 0001-6489
VL - 145
SP - 241
EP - 244
JO - Acta Oto-Laryngologica
JF - Acta Oto-Laryngologica
ER -