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. 2025 Jan-Dec:54:19160216251387622.
doi: 10.1177/19160216251387622. Epub 2025 Nov 24.

Validity and Reliability of the French Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire-10

Jérôme R Lechien  1   2   3   4   5 , Luigi A Vaira  5   6   7 , Lea Lamoulen  8 , Leigh Sowerby  5   9 , Thomas Radulesco  5   10 , Justin Michel  5   10 , Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo  5   11 , Giovanni Salzano  5   12 , Maria R Barillari  5   13 , Alberto M Saibene  5   14 , Giovanni Cammaroto  5   15 , Carlos M Chiesa-Estomba  5   16 , Giannicola Iannella  5   17 , Nicolien Van der Poel  5   18   19 , Kalamkas Sagandykova  5   20 , Sven Saussez  5   21 , Florent Carsuzaa  5   22 , Miguel Mayo-Yanez  5   23 , Eishaan Kamta Bhargava  5   24   25 , Antonino Maniaci  5   26 , Giovanni Briganti  5   8
Affiliations

Validity and Reliability of the French Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire-10

Jérôme R Lechien et al. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2025 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

ImportanceMost French Olfactory Questionnaires are time consuming, which may affect the patient participation.ObjectiveTo validate a short French version of the Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire (Fr-ODQ).DesignProspective controlled study.SettingMulticenter study.ParticipantsPatients with long-lasting olfactory dysfunction (OD) treated with platelet-rich plasma into the olfactory clefts and asymptomatic subjects.InterventionDevelopment and validation of a short ODQ.Main OutcomesIndividuals completed the full Fr-ODQ. The Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification (TDI) test was performed in OD patients. A combined statistical analysis was performed to determine the most informative items of the Fr-ODQ to develop a shorter version. The internal consistency was determined with Cronbach's alpha. The reliability and external validity were evaluated through a test-retest approach and by correlating with the Fr-ODQ. Both the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and the threshold of the short ODQ version were determined.ResultsA total of 263 patients (173 [65.8%] females) and 129 controls (92 [71.3%] females) completed the evaluations. The mean age of patients was 51.2 ± 15.3 years. The mean duration of OD was 42.4 ± 54.3 months. The biostatistical models selected 10 essential items composing the Fr-ODQ-10. The baseline Fr-ODQ-10 was significantly correlated with the TDI (rs = 0.228; P = .001) and the Fr-ODQ (rs = 0.875; P = .001), demonstrating high external validity. Fr-ODQ-10 was significantly lower in controls compared to OD patients (P = .001), highlighting high internal validity. The internal consistency was good (α = .796). The external consistency was adequate, with significant correlations between the test-retest Fr-ODQ-10. The Fr-ODQ-10 significantly decreased from baseline to 4 months post-treatment. A Fr-ODQ-10 score >7.5 was considered abnormal (sensitivity: 84.8%, specificity: 84.2%). The MCID of Fr-ODQ-10 was established at >3.Conclusion and RelevanceThe Fr-ODQ-10 is a valid and reliable clinical instrument, demonstrating correlation with the psychophysical olfactory assessment.

Keywords: Olfactory Disorder Questionnaire; anosmia; odor; olfaction; otolaryngology; rhinology; smell.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The Fr-ODQ-10. Fr-ODQ-10, French version of the Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire; OD, Olfactory dysfunction. The total score of Fr-ODQ-10 ranges from 0 (no OD/impact on quality-of-life) to 30 (severe OD with significant impact on quality-of-life).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
An English version of the ODQ-10. Fr-ODQ, French version of the Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire; OD, Olfactory dysfunction; ODQ, Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire. The total score of Fr-ODQ-10 ranges from 0 (no OD/impact on quality-of-life) to 30 (severe OD with significant impact on quality-of-life).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
ROC curve analysis. Fr-ODQ, French version of the Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire, ROC, receiver operating characteristic. A Fr-ODQ-10 >7.5 was considered abnormal (sensitivity: 84.8%, specificity: 84.2%).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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