Pediatric Barcelona Olfactory Test ̶ 6 (pBOT-6): Validation of a Combined Odor Identification and Threshold Screening Test in Healthy Spanish Children and Adolescents.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Few odor tests have been developed for children. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a simple and quick olfactory test to evaluate odor identification and threshold in a Spanish pediatric population. METHODS: The Pediatric Barcelona Olfactory Test-6 (pBOT-6) consisted of a set of 6 odorants for a forced choice identification test and a 6-dilution phenyl ethyl alcohol geometric series for the threshold test. The pBOT-6 was compared with the Universal Sniff test (a validated international pediatric smell test) in 131 healthy Spanish volunteers aged 6-17 years. A Bland-Altman plot was used to determine the agreement between the 2 tests. Reliability was analyzed in 15 volunteers using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Normative data were obtained, and 8 children diagnosed with subjective loss of smell were tested for validation. RESULTS: The Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated a minimal bias of -1.71% with upper and lower limits of agreement of -31.1% and 27.6%, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83 (95%CI, 0.6-0.96) for the identification test and 0.73 (95%CI, 0.36-0.9) for the threshold test, with excellent and good consistency between measurements over time. Mean pBOT-6 scores were significantly higher in healthy volunteers than in patients with loss of smell. Discrimination between normosmia and loss of smell was achieved with a sensitivity of 96.9% and a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: pBOT-6 offers an effective and fast method that is useful in clinical routine to distinguish, with high sensitivity and specificity, between pediatric patients with normosmia and those with loss of smell.

Pediatric Barcelona Olfactory Test - 6 (pBOT-6): validation of a combined odor identification and threshold screening test in healthy Spanish children and adolescents

BACKGROUND: Few odor tests have been developed for children. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a simple and quick olfactory test to evaluate odor identification and threshold in a Spanish pediatric population. METHODS: The Pediatric Barcelona Olfactory Test-6 (pBOT-6) consisted of a set of 6 odorants for a forced choice identification test and a 6-dilution phenyl ethyl alcohol geometric series for the threshold test. The pBOT-6 was compared with the Universal Sniff test (a validated international pediatric smell test) in 131 healthy Spanish volunteers aged 6-17 years. A Bland-Altman plot was used to determine the agreement between the 2 tests. Reliability was analyzed in 15 volunteers using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Normative data were obtained, and 8 children diagnosed with subjective loss of smell were tested for validation. RESULTS: The Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated a minimal bias of -1.71% with upper and lower limits of agreement of -31.1% and 27.6%, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83 (95%CI, 0.6-0.96) for the identification test and 0.73 (95%CI, 0.36-0.9) for the threshold test, with excellent and good consistency between measurements over time. Mean pBOT-6 scores were significantly higher in healthy volunteers than in patients with loss of smell. Discrimination between normosmia and loss of smell was achieved with a sensitivity of 96.9% and a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: pBOT-6 offers an effective and fast method that is useful in clinical routine to distinguish, with high sensitivity and specificity, between pediatric patients with normosmia and those with loss of smell

ANTECEDENTES: Existen pocas pruebas de olfato para niños. OBJETIVOS: Desarrollar y validar una prueba de olfato simple y rápida para evaluar la identificación y el umbral olfativo en la población pediátrica española. MÉTODOS: El Pediatric Barcelona Olfactory Test-6 (pBOT-6) consiste en un set de 6 odorantes para la prueba de identificación forzada y una serie de 6 diluciones de feniletil alcohol para la prueba de umbral. El pBOT-6 se comparó con el Universal Sniff Test (una prueba de olfato pediátrica validada internacionalmente) en 131 voluntarios españoles sanos de entre 6 y 17 años. Se utilizó el método gráfico de Bland-Altman para determinar la concordancia entre las 2 pruebas. La fiabilidad se analizó en 15 voluntarios utilizando el coeficiente de correlación intraclase. Se obtuvieron los valores de normalidad y validó la prueba en 8 niños diagnosticados de pérdida subjetiva del olfato. RESULTADOS: El método de Bland-Altman demostró un sesgo mínimo de -1,71% con límites superior e inferior de acuerdo de -31,1% y 27,6%, respectivamente. El coeficiente de correlación intraclase fue de 0,83 (IC 95%, 0,6-0,96) para la prueba de identificación y 0,73 (IC 95%, 0,36-0,9) para la prueba de umbral, con excelente y buena concordancia entre las mediciones a lo largo del tiempo. Las puntuaciones medias del pBOT-6 fueron significativamente más altas en voluntarios sanos que en pacientes con pérdida del olfato. Se obstuvo la discriminación entre normosmia y pérdida del olfato con una sensibilidad del 96,9% y una especificidad del 100%. CONCLUSIONES: pBOT-6 ofrece un método eficaz y rápido que es útil en la práctica clínica para distinguir, con alta sensibilidad y especificidad, entre pacientes pediátricos con normosmia y aquellos con pérdida del olfato