[Clinical usefulness of smell identification test card: Open Essence]

Since the Odor Stick Identification Test for Japanese (OSIT-J) has proved clinically useful in Japan, the Open Essence (OE) smell identification test card has been developed to amend OSIT-J deficits. To determine its clinical effectiveness, we administered the OE to 93 Japanese subjects reporting olfactory dysfunction. They scored their olfactory dysfunction on levels one to five, i.e., normal to anosmic, using the Japan Rhinologic Society Self-Administered Odor Questionnaire (SAOQ) and the visual analog scale (VAS). They also took the Japanese standard olfactory test (T & T olfactometry) and intravenous olfactometry (Alinamin test). Opinions on the OE and OSIT-J were recorded from those previously administered the OSIT-J and testers familiar with OSIT-J administration. The OE took 5.1+/- 1.6 minutes to administer. Scores correlated significantly for the OE, self-reported olfactory function, SAOQ, VAS, T & T olfactometry recognition threshold, and Alinamin latency and duration time. Subjects and testers reported the OE to be easier, shorter, more interesting, and more convenient, indicating its utility in clinical olfactory dysfunction evaluation and its convenience for both subjects and testers.