What about using sniffin' sticks 12 items test to screen post-COVID-19 olfactory disorders?

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Post-COVID-19 olfactory impairment significantly impacts patient quality of life.
• The Sniffin Sticks Test 12 items (SST-12) offers a rapid method for screening olfactory dysfunction.
• Evaluating the SST-12's utility in post-COVID-19 olfactory loss is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the Sniffin Sticks Test 12 items (SST-12) in screening post-COVID-19 olfactory impairment.
• To determine the correlation between SST-12 results and other olfactory and quality of life assessments.

Main Methods:

• Patients with post-COVID-19 olfactory loss were evaluated in an ENT department.
• Assessments included a visual analog scale (VAS) for self-assessed olfaction recovery, nasofibroscopy, quality of life (QoL) questionnaires, the complete Sniffin' Sticks Test (SST), and the SST-12.

Main Results:

• The SST-12 correctly identified olfactory impairment in 92% of the 54 included patients.
• High correlations were observed between SST-12 and the complete SST (rho=0.98, p<0.001).
• Significant correlations were also found between SST-12 and QoL (rho=0.33, p=0.016) and VAS (rho=0.49, p<0.001) assessments.

Conclusions:

• The SST-12 is a rapid and dependable tool for large-scale screening of post-COVID-19 olfactory impairment.
• The SST-12 demonstrates strong potential for integration into daily clinical practice for ENT specialists.
• This screening method aids in managing the quality of life impact of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction.