OLAF: standardization of international olfactory tests

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2012 Mar;269(3):871-80. doi: 10.1007/s00405-011-1770-0. Epub 2011 Sep 21.

Abstract

Developed in the 1990 s, the "Sniffin 'Sticks" test for the assessment of olfactory threshold, odor identification and discrimination has become a widely used tool both in clinical and research settings. Originally pencil-and-paper documented, it may now be applied using a computer program. The "Filemaker" based software "OLAF" guides the examiner through any user-defined arrangement of the test battery, stores all data in a database, and offers results sheets to be printed out for convenience. The royalty-free program may be downloaded from http://www.tu-dresden.de/medkhno/riechen_schmecken/olaf.zip as a runtime solution application. It is currently available in four languages (English, French, German, and Italian) which can be toggled by a single mouse click, and is suitable for Windows as well as Apple platforms. In conclusion, the currently described software is expected to further facilitate and standardize olfactory testing with the "Sniffin' Sticks" test battery.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / instrumentation*
  • Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / standards*
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Odorants / analysis*
  • Olfaction Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Reference Standards
  • Smell*