Malaysian Version of the Sniffin' Sticks Identification Smell Test: Cutoff Points of Hyposmia.

INTRODUCTION: Cultural backgrounds can influence the smell test because of the unfamiliarity of different populations with a number of odorants. The study aims to determine the cutoff points for hyposmia using the cultural adaptation of the Malaysian version of the Sniffin' Sticks identification smell test among different age groups. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, healthy participants were recruited from a hospital, senior citizen homes, and schools from 2019 until 2021. Participants were divided into 5 different age groups (A: children, B: adolescents, C: young adults, D: middle-aged adults, and E: older adults) and underwent the identification smell test. Scores below the 10th percentile in these age groups were used to determine the cutoff points for hyposmia. RESULTS: The cutoff points for the smell identification scores for hyposmia at the 10th percentile in children, adolescents, and adults (young, middle-aged, and older) were less than 6, 9, and 11, respectively. Pairwise comparisons were made using the Bonferroni post hoc test, with p < 0.001. Scores showed a significant difference between males (mean [SD]: 11.43 [2.42]) and females (12.01 [1.98]); p = 0.005. CONCLUSION: Our study found that the cutoff points of the identification smell test for hyposmia were lower than those of other studies. It is important to use these cutoff points in our population to establish the correct integrity of olfaction function in the clinic setting and in future research.

Migratory Fish Bone in the Hyoglossus: Catch Me if You Can.

Foreign body ingestion is one of the most frequently encountered cases in otorhinolaryngology and most of the cases can be managed non-operatively. If left untreated, migration of foreign bodies can occur and presents a significant challenge in patient management. We hereby describe the case of an elderly gentleman who had a preceding history of fish bone ingestion and complained of dysphagia for two days. Clinical examination revealed swelling of the right vallecula with minimal pus discharge. Computed tomography (CT) of the neck confirmed the diagnosis of a migratory foreign body in the neck. He underwent open neck exploration and foreign body removal under intraoperative fluoroscopy guidance. A high index of suspicion of a migratory foreign body is warranted in cases of persistent, unresolved symptoms with the failure of endoscopic evaluation to detect the foreign body. Migratory foreign body of the neck may cause life-threatening complications and requires early surgical intervention.

Normative data of olfactory abilities using cultural adaption Sniffin' sticks smell test in different age groups.

OBJECTIVES: To assess olfactory abilities using a culturally adapted Sniffin' Sticks smell test in different age groups. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted at Otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Secondary Science School, and Children Learning Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from August 2019 until December 2021. RESULTS: In 450 healthy participants, the cut-off points of the threshold discrimination identification (TDI) scores at the 10th percentile for olfactory abilities were 19 in children, 30.1 in adolescents, 32.1 in young adults, 31.1 in middle-aged adults, and 28.6 in older adults. The children had significantly lower olfactory abilities, with the Bonferroni post-hoc tests of p<0.001. The young adults had higher olfactory abilities than older adults (p<0.05). The results showed that the identification score was highest in middle-aged adults (p<0.001). The discrimination score was the highest in young adults (p<0.001). The best odor threshold performance was observed in adolescents (p<0.001). The TDI score showed a significant difference in olfactory abilities between men and women (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Using a culturally adapted smell test, our population was able to identify, discriminate, and perceive odorants better than the European population. This data will help clinicians and researchers with a tool to reliably establish the correct results of olfactory function in our population. Women had better olfactory abilities than men.