A Scandinavian Adaptation of the Multi-Clinic Smell and Taste Questionnaire: Evaluation of Questions About Olfaction

OBJECTIVE: A Scandinavian adaptation of the Multi-Clinic Smell and Taste Questionnaire (MCSTQ-Sc) was evaluated with respect to comprehension and test-retest reliability for responses to questions about olfactory dysfunction (abnormal sensitivity, parosmia and phantosmia) and related questions about medical history and consequences of olfactory dysfunction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Comprehension was evaluated in a first study in 20 patients with chief complaints of olfactory dysfunction by comparing questionnaire- and interview-based responses. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in a second study in 30 other patients with olfactory complaints. RESULTS: Data from the two studies suggest that the vast majority of the questions evaluated from the MCSTQ-Sc are comprehensible and generate responses with very good reliability. Distinct exceptions were poor agreement between the questionnaire- and interview-based responses for questions about the number of cigarettes smoked and the pleasantness and typical episode length of phantosmia; the test-retest reliability regarding the nostril side of phantosmia also showed poor agreement. The results suggest the importance of probing these areas further in the clinical interview. CONCLUSION: The findings imply that, with a few caveats, the MCSTQ-Sc is a useful tool for the clinical assessment of olfactory dysfunction and its consequences.