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Published on: April 23, 2019
Comparison between odor thresholds for phenyl ethyl alcohol and butanol
Ilona Croy1, Kornelia Lange, Franziska Krone
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, University of Dresden Medical School, Fetscherstrasse 74, Dresden, Germany. ilona.croy@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
Chemical Senses
|June 16, 2009
Summary
Comparing odor threshold tests, using phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA) or butanol with either a wide or narrow step method, showed similar results. The wide step method was faster and effectively identified olfactory dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Olfactory research
- Sensory science
- Clinical audiology
Background:
- Assessing olfactory function is crucial for diagnosing smell disorders.
- Standard odor threshold tests often involve multiple dilutions, potentially increasing testing time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of odor threshold testing using different dilution step methods (wide vs. narrow) for butanol and phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA).
- To evaluate the time efficiency and diagnostic accuracy of these methods.
Main Methods:
- 116 subjects (29 with olfactory dysfunction, 87 normosmic) underwent odor threshold testing for butanol and PEA.
- Two methods were used: a wide step (8 dilutions) and a narrow step (16 dilutions).
- Tests were repeated after approximately one week to assess reproducibility.
Main Results:
- The wide step method reduced test time by approximately 25% for patients.
- No significant differences were found between butanol and PEA thresholds, with a strong correlation between them (r = 0.60).
- All tested methods demonstrated high reproducibility (test-retest reliability: r = 0.80-0.84) and could effectively differentiate between patients with olfactory dysfunction and normosmic individuals.
Conclusions:
- Phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA) serves as a viable alternative to butanol for odor threshold testing.
- The wide step method offers comparable results to the narrow step method while significantly reducing testing time.
- Both methods are reliable and effective in identifying olfactory dysfunction.
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