Clinical experiences of the medication to taste disturbance by serum trace deficiency, especially serum iron deficiency

Serum zinc deficiency is known to be a major cause of taste disturbances, but the effects of serum iron deficiency on taste disturbances are not widely known. In the present study, we clinically investigated the relationship between taste disturbances and serum iron deficiency as well as the results of pharmacological therapy. The clinical and serological test results of 25 patients with serum iron deficiency (3 men and 22 women; mean age +/- SD, 56.1 +/- 16.5 years) were reviewed at the Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital of Hyogo College of Medicine. All of the patients had been seen at the hospital between January 1999 and February 2003. Electrogustometry (EGM) and the filter paper disc method (FPD) were used to measure taste function. The patients were treated with iron and zinc supplements. The age distribution of the patients peaked at the ages of 40 and 70 years. The ratio of males to females was 1:7. Based on the EGM results, 70% of the patients exhibited taste disturbances. The FPD results showed that the recognition threshold of sour tastes was slightly higher than that of the other tastes. No significant difference in the results of treatment was seen, regardless of the duration of the deficiency. These results suggest that treatment with iron and zinc medicine is useful for correcting taste disturbances caused by serum deficiencies of trace elements.     

Course of Recovery from Taste Receptor Disturbance

The course of recovery from taste receptor disturbance was studied in 119 patients with moderate-to-severe taste receptor disturbance that was cured or improved with zinc therapy. Taste receptor disturbance was idiopathic in 45 patients, drug-induced in 38 and due to zinc deficiency in 36. Recovery of taste, evaluated by filter paper disk testing and electrogustometry, followed 1 of 3 patterns: (i) in 54 (45.4%) of the 119 cases, taste improved simultaneously in the anterior (innervated by the chorda tympani nerve) and posterior (innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve) portions of the tongue; (ii) in 53 (44.5%) of the cases, taste improved in the posterior portion first; and (iii) in 12 (10.1%) of the cases, taste improved in the anterior portion first. Zinc therapy was more effective in patients with the "posterior" pattern of recovery, and these patients also recovered the ability to sense sweet and bitter tastes earlier than other tastes. These results indicate that recovery of taste begins on the posterior portion of the tongue, which has an abundance of taste buds. The results of electrogustometry were not helpful in assessing recovery from taste disturbance, but testing for taste using the filter paper disk method on the posterior portion of the tongue was useful for identifying the onset of recovery.     

Course of recovery from taste receptor disturbance

The course of recovery from taste receptor disturbance was studied in 119 patients with moderate-to-severe taste receptor disturbance that was cured or improved with zinc therapy. Taste receptor disturbance was idiopathic in 45 patients, drug-induced in 38 and due to zinc deficiency in 36. Recovery of taste, evaluated by filter paper disk testing and electrogustometry, followed 1 of 3 patterns: (i) in 54 (45.4%) of the 119 cases, taste improved simultaneously in the anterior (innervated by the chorda tympani nerve) and posterior (innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve) portions of the tongue; (ii) in 53 (44.5%) of the cases, taste improved in the posterior portion first; and (iii) in 12 (10.1%) of the cases, taste improved in the anterior portion first. Zinc therapy was more effective in patients with the "posterior" pattern of recovery, and these patients also recovered the ability to sense sweet and bitter tastes earlier than other tastes. These results indicate that recovery of taste begins on the posterior portion of the tongue, which has an abundance of taste buds. The results of electrogustometry were not helpful in assessing recovery from taste disturbance, but testing for taste using the filter paper disk method on the posterior portion of the tongue was useful for identifying the onset of recovery.     

Taste Disturbance in Two Patients after Dental Anesthesia by Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block

We report two cases of temporary taste disturbance after inferior alveolar nerve block. The first patient to present with this rare complication of anesthesia for dental surgery was a 41-year-old woman. She lost the sense of taste on the left side of her tongue after local anesthesia for treatment of a left mandibular molar and first visited our outpatient clinic complaining of taste disorder 3 months later. Electrogustometry (EGM) and filter paper disk (FPD) testing revealed a taste disturbance in the innervation area of the left chorda tympani nerve and atrophy of the fungiform papillae on the left side of the tongue was observed. Eleven months after the dental treatment, the fungiform papillae and the results of EGM were normal. The second patient, a 22-year-old woman, received local anesthetic for extraction of a right mandibular molar and subsequently developed loss of taste on the right side of the tongue. When she visited our outpatient clinic 3 months later, atrophy of the fungiform papillae on the right side was observed. Her gustatory sense began to improve 4 months after the dental surgery and was normal at 13 months. From these findings we conclude that taste disturbance on the same side as the inferior alveolar nerve block in each case was due to direct injury to the chorda tympani and lingual nerves during administration of the local anesthetic. The results of EGM and FPD testing were diagnostic: atrophy of the fungiform papillae on the same side and disappearance of taste on the same side in the intravenous taste test provided complementary diagnostic information. The outcome was satisfactory in both cases.     

Taste disturbance in two patients after dental anesthesia by inferior alveolar nerve block

We report two cases of temporary taste disturbance after inferior alveolar nerve block. The first patient to present with this rare complication of anesthesia for dental surgery was a 41-year-old woman. She lost the sense of taste on the left side of her tongue after local anesthesia for treatment of a left mandibular molar and first visited our outpatient clinic complaining of taste disorder 3 months later. Electrogustometry (EGM) and filter paper disk (FPD) testing revealed a taste disturbance in the innervation area of the left chorda tympani nerve and atrophy of the fungiform papillae on the left side of the tongue was observed. Eleven months after the dental treatment, the fungiform papillae and the results of EGM were normal. The second patient, a 22-year-old woman, received local anesthetic for extraction of a right mandibular molar and subsequently developed loss of taste on the right side of the tongue. When she visited our outpatient clinic 3 months later, atrophy of the fungiform papillae on the right side was observed. Her gustatory sense began to improve 4 months after the dental surgery and was normal at 13 months. From these findings we conclude that taste disturbance on the same side as the inferior alveolar nerve block in each case was due to direct injury to the chorda tympani and lingual nerves during administration of the local anesthetic. The results of EGM and FPD testing were diagnostic: atrophy of the fungiform papillae on the same side and disappearance of taste on the same side in the intravenous taste test provided complementary diagnostic information. The outcome was satisfactory in both cases.     

Taste disturbance after tonsillectomy and laryngomicrosurgery

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of taste disturbance after tonsillectomy and laryngomicrosurgery. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. METHODS: Thirty-five consecutive patients underwent tonsillectomy with electric coagulator at Kanebo Memorial Hospital from September 2002 to May 2004. Another 35 consecutive patients underwent laryngomicrosurgery in a routine way during the same period. Both procedures were performed by two experienced doctors. The postoperative taste function was evaluated with questionnaire, electrogustometry (EGM), and serum levels of Zn, Cu and Fe. RESULTS: After tonsillectomy, 3/35 patients (8.6%) complained of taste disturbance, due to the pressure on the tongue in two, and Zn deficiency after lack of intake in one. All three patients recovered taste within 1.5 months. None of our patients had taste disturbance due to surgical insult of the lingual branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve. After laryngomicrosurgery, only one patient (2.9%) complained of taste disturbance with elevation of the EGM threshold that resulted from the pressure on the tongue. In addition, abnormal sensation in the tongue occurred in 9 cases (25.7%) after tonsillectomy and in 2 cases (5.7%) after laryngomicrosurgery, and feeling of thirst occurred in 12 cases (34.3%) and in 8 cases (22.9%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Taste disturbance occurs in few cases when experienced surgeons perform tonsillectomy or laryngomicrosurgery. However, it is recommended to inform the patients of the potential postoperative complications such as taste disturbance and abnormal sensation of the tongue.     

Younger patients have a higher rate of recovery of taste function after middle ear surgery

BACKGROUND: Although the chorda tympani nerve (CTN) is frequently damaged during tympanoplasty, little attention has been given to the patients' symptoms and taste function. OBJECTIVE: To investigate patients' symptoms and the functional recovery of taste after surgery using electrogustometry (EGM). DESIGN: Prospective study. PATIENTS: Analysis of 163 ears of 156 patients who underwent middle ear surgery from April 1997 through December 1999. There were 18 ears with noninflammatory diseases, 80 with chronic otitis media, and 65 with cholesteatoma. The patients' taste functions were examined 2 days before surgery and 2 weeks and 6 months after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The taste disturbance before and after middle ear surgery and the relationship between age and the recovery rate of CTN function. RESULTS: Two weeks after surgery, the mean EGM threshold was elevated in all groups regardless of preservation or section of the CTN. Numbness in the tongue and taste disturbance were more frequently found in patients with preservation of CTN than in those with section of the CTN (P =.008 and P =.001, respectively). In patients with preservation of the CTN, 6 months after surgery, the recovery rate of EGM threshold was 83% in those aged 20 years or younger (P =.008 compared with the 2 older groups), 53% in the those aged 21 to 40 years, and 44% in those aged 41 to 60 years. CONCLUSION: Age is an important factor for recovery of taste function after middle ear surgery, which is useful information when explaining complications to patients.     

Rate of recovery of taste function after preservation of chorda tympani nerve in middle ear surgery with special reference to type of disease

To study the recovery of function of the chorda tympani nerve, we examined by electrogustometry 79 patients (83 ears) with both preoperative normal function of the nerve and operative preservation of the nerve, every 2 days during hospitalization and at 6 months after surgery. For symptoms such as tongue numbness and taste disturbance, patients with noninflammmatory (NI) diseases (13/20 or 65.0%) showed a significantly higher rate of symptoms than did patients with chronic otitis media (COM; 13/35 or 37.1%) at 2 weeks after surgery (p = .032). The patients with NI diseases (5/20 or 25.0%) tended to show a higher rate of symptoms than did the COM patients (2/35 or 5.7%) or cholesteatoma patients (2/28 or 7.1%) at 6 months after surgery. The rate of recovery of the EGM threshold to normal at 2 weeks after surgery was significantly lower in NI disease patients (6/20 or 30.0%) than in COM patients (23/ 35 or 62.9%) or cholesteatoma patients (19/28 or 67.9%; p = .015 and .008, respectively). Thus, the patients with NI diseases had postoperative symptoms and elevation of EGM threshold more frequently than did the patients with inflammatory diseases.     

Clinical study of flavor disturbance

OBJECTIVE: We have observed that, in cases of smell loss, patients often complain of taste loss as well even though they actually have normal gustatory acuity according to gustatory tests; we have defined such symptoms as "flavor disturbance". The clinical features of flavor disturbance are reported in this paper. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 297 patients (99 males, 198 females; mean age 55.5 years) were treated for olfactory disturbance at the hospital of Hyogo College of Medicine between July 1995 and August 2001. Sixty-six out of 297 patients (22.5%) also experienced taste disturbance, and 49 of these 66 cases were evaluated by means of smell and taste tests. These 49 patients who complained of taste and smell loss were classified into two groups according to the results of their smell and taste tests. Patients who only complained of olfactory disturbance were also reviewed. RESULTS: There was no relationship between the severity of olfactory disturbance and the degree of flavor disturbance. The incidence of flavor disturbance was high in patients with sudden olfactory disturbance after upper respiratory tract infection or head trauma and low in those with slowly progressive olfactory disturbance. The symptoms of flavor disturbance improved regardless of whether smell was improved or not. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with flavor disturbance tended to misrecognize that they had taste loss because of sudden smell loss, and there were more of these cases than we expected. When patients with smell and taste loss are treated, flavor disturbance should also be considered.     

Taste function after section of chorda tympani nerve in middle ear surgery

ObjectiveTo investigate prospectively the clinical manifestations and the functional recovery of taste after section of chorda tympani nerve (CTN) during middle ear surgery, the subjective and objective study on the patients was performed.MethodsThirty-five patients underwent surgery with unilateral (n = 32) or bilateral (n = 3) section of CTN between January 2000 and April 2002. The patients were asked about taste symptoms before surgery and 2 weeks and 2 years after surgery. The CTN function was also measured with electrogustometry (EGM) at the same time points.ResultsIn unilateral section of CTN, 19/32 (59.4%) complained of taste disorder and 11/32 (34.4%) tongue numbness. Most of these taste symptoms disappeared within 2 years although the EGM threshold did not recover. 16/17 patients (94.1%) who used to cook everyday had little difficulty in flavoring dishes. In bilateral section of CTN, the patients had no problem of taste at 2 years after surgery, either.ConclusionThese findings help explain the potential complications to the patients before surgery, although the number of cases was small in this series.     

Clinical use of electrogustometry: strengths and limitations

Electrogustometry (EGM) has a number of strengths and a few limitations in clinical use. The strengths of EGM are: (i) the range of measurements can be kept constant; (ii) quantitative control of the intensity of the stimulation is possible; (iii) only a short period of time is required for testing; (iv) it is possible to detect even slight taste disorders for which the patient has no subjective symptoms; (v) it is useful for topognosis of lesions of taste pathways and for determining prognosis; and (vi) it is the only quantitative method for diagnosing disorders of the glosssopharyngeal nerve. The limitations of EGM are: (i) it is not useful for determining or diagnosing some of the symptoms often complained of by patients with taste disorder, namely dissociated taste disorder, heterogeusia and spontaneous dysgeusia; and (ii) it is not useful for following the progress of taste disorder. The many strengths and few limitations of EGM make it the first choice among taste examinations. This paper describes the clinical use of EGM as well as discussing other taste examinations used in our taste clinic and, in particular, the advantages and disadvantages of filter paper disk testing with taste solutions.     

Clinical Use of Electrogustometry: Strengths and Limitations

Electrogustometry (EGM) has a number of strengths and a few limitations in clinical use. The strengths of EGM are: (i) the range of measurements can be kept constant; (ii) quantitative control of the intensity of the stimulation is possible; (iii) only a short period of time is required for testing; (iv) it is possible to detect even slight taste disorders for which the patient has no subjective symptoms; (v) it is useful for topognosis of lesions of taste pathways and for determining prognosis; and (vi) it is the only quantitative method for diagnosing disorders of the glosssopharyngeal nerve. The limitations of EGM are: (i) it is not useful for determining or diagnosing some of the symptoms often complained of by patients with taste disorder, namely dissociated taste disorder, heterogeusia and spontaneous dysgeusia; and (ii) it is not useful for following the progress of taste disorder. The many strengths and few limitations of EGM make it the first choice among taste examinations. This paper describes the clinical use of EGM as well as discussing other taste examinations used in our taste clinic and, in particular, the advantages and disadvantages of filter paper disk testing with taste solutions.     

Effects of zinc supplementation on serum zinc concentration and ratio of apo/holo-activities of angiotensin converting enzyme in patients with taste impairment

Objective

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on hypogeusia, serum zinc concentration and the ratio of apo/holo-activities of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE ratio) in patients with taste impairment. ACE ratio was used as an index of zinc nutritional status.

Methods

Forty patients complaining of taste impairment were divided into two groups: zinc deficiency taste impairment (n = 12) and idiopathic taste impairment (n = 28). Patients with zincemia values of less than 63 μg/dl with no history of other disorder or medication known to cause dysgeusia were diagnosed as zinc deficiency group, while those with the same condition and values more than 64 μg/dl were considered to belong to the idiopathic group. Patients orally received 150 mg of polaprezinc containing 33 mg of zinc every day. Subjective symptom was scored according to visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results

Zinc supplementation improved hypogeusia in both idiopathic and zinc deficiency groups. The mean improvements of VAS were 3.02 ± 3.03 in the idiopathic group and 3.13 ± 2.53 in the zinc deficiency group. Thus, there were no significant differences in idiopathic and zinc deficiency groups. Significant correlations were found between the improvement of VAS score and the ACE ratio after zinc supplementation in both idiopathic and zinc deficiency groups. On the contrary, significant correlations were not found between the improvement of VAS score and the zinc concentration in the serum after zinc supplementation in both groups.

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicated that zinc deficiency is a predominant factor underlying taste impairment and ACE ratio may be a predictor of the prognosis for taste impairment after zinc supplementation, in addition to a more sensitive indicator of zinc nutrition than zinc concentration in the serum.     

Characteristics of taste disorders

Aim of this retrospective study was to obtain information about the frequency of taste disorders, their most frequent causes, and typical symptoms. A total of 491 out of 4,680 patients (presenting for the first time between 1998 and 2011) exhibited taste disorders (10.5 %). All patients underwent a thorough physical otorhinolaryngological examination including detailed assessment of smell and taste functions. The three most frequent causes of disorders were idiopathic (34 %), posttraumatic (24 %), and postoperative (15 %). Patients with idiopathic and postoperative taste disorders complained mainly about hypogeusia and parageusia; in comparison, patients with posttraumatic taste disorders exhibited a relatively higher degree of partial, local, or complete ageusia. Among patients with phantogeusia and parageusia, 38 % reported salty, and 22 % mixed sensations like bitter–salty or sour–sweet. In approximately 1/3 of this group of patients the cause of dysgeusia is unknown. Twenty-one percent of the patients complained of qualitative rather than quantitative taste problems.     

Zinc deficiency in patients with idiopathic taste impairment with regard to angiotensin converting enzyme activity

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at measuring the ratio of apo/holo activities of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) ratio in the serum of patients with taste impairment to evaluate their status of zinc nutrition. METHODS: Nineteen patients complaining of taste impairment were divided into two groups: zinc-deficiency taste impairment (n=6) and idiopathic taste impairment (n=13) and compared to 30 volunteers. Zinc concentrations in the serum were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (normal values: 64-111 microg/dl). Patients with zincemia values of <63 microg/dl with no history of other disorder or medication known to cause dysgeusia were diagnosed as zinc deficient, while those with the same condition and values >64 microg/dl were considered to belong to the idiopathic group. The activities of ACE in the serum were measured spectrophotometrically as the activity of the holo-ACE, and after addition of 80 microM of zinc to the serum in vitro, the increase of ACE activity over initial value in the serum was determined as that of the apo-ACE. Finally, the apo/holo-ACE activities ratio was used as an index of zinc nutritional status. RESULTS: The mean concentrations of zinc in the serum were 77.4+/-8.4 microg/dl in volunteers, 77.6+/-8.4 microg/dl in the idiopathic patients and significantly decreased at 55.7+/-5.8 microg/dl in zinc-deficiency patients. ACE activities in the serum were 14.7+/-7.6, 14.5+/-4.0 and 14.1+/-3.3 IU/l in volunteers, the idiopathic group and zinc-deficiency taste impairment group, respectively. The mean ACE ratios were 1.10+/-0.6% in volunteers and significantly increased at 9.8 +/- 4.0% in the idiopathic group and at 13.7+/-6.6% in zinc-deficiency taste impairment group. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicated that zinc deficiency is a predominant factor underlying hypogeusia even when zinc concentrations are within normal ranges in the serum and show that clinically, ACE ratio may be a more sensitive indicator of the zinc nutritional status than measuring zinc concentration in the serum.     

Evaluation of greater petrosal nerve function in patients with acute peripheral facial paralysis: comparison of soft palate electrogustometry and Schirmer's tear test

We tested sensory and secretomotor function of the greater petrosal nerve (GPN) by means of electrogustometry (EGM) of the soft palate and Schirmer's tear test in 115 patients (59 males, 56 females) with acute peripheral facial paralysis. Facial paralysis was caused by Bell's palsy in 78 cases, Ramsay Hunt syndrome in 27 cases and zoster sine herpetic lesions in 10. All patients had dysfunction of the stapedial nerve. An electrogustometer was used to test taste (GPN sensory function), and elevation of the threshold by > 6 dB on the affected side was considered abnormal. Schirmer's test was used to evaluate lacrimal (GPN secretomotor) function, which was considered abnormal when tear secretion on the affected side was < 50% of secretion on the non-affected side. Of the 78 patients with Bell's palsy, 28.2% had altered taste on the soft palate (sensory dysfunction) and 10.3% had lacrimal dysfunction, indicating that EGM of the soft palate is more sensitive than Schirmer's test for identifying dysfunction of the GPN in patients with facial paralysis due to Bell's palsy. Of the total of 115 patients, 32 (28%) had taste dysfunction and 9 (28.1%) of these 32 patients also had lacrimal dysfunction. This finding indicates that facial paralysis has different effects on the sensory and secretory nerve fibers of the GPN. The results of Schirmer's test were more closely related to the severity of, and prognosis for, facial paralysis than the results of EGM.     

Evaluation of Greater Petrosal Nerve Function in Patients with Acute Peripheral Facial Paralysis: Comparison of Soft Palate Electrogustometry and Schirmer's Tear Test

We tested sensory and secretomotor function of the greater petrosal nerve (GPN) by means of electrogustometry (EGM) of the soft palate and Schirmer's tear test in 115 patients (59 males, 56 females) with acute peripheral facial paralysis. Facial paralysis was caused by Bell's palsy in 78 cases, Ramsay Hunt syndrome in 27 cases and zoster sine herpetic lesions in 10. All patients had dysfunction of the stapedial nerve. An electrogustometer was used to test taste (GPN sensory function), and elevation of the threshold by > 6 dB on the affected side was considered abnormal. Schirmer's test was used to evaluate lacrimal (GPN secretomotor) function, which was considered abnormal when tear secretion on the affected side was < 50% of secretion on the non-affected side. Of the 78 patients with Bell's palsy, 28.2% had altered taste on the soft palate (sensory dysfunction) and 10.3% had lacrimal dysfunction, indicating that EGM of the soft palate is more sensitive than Schirmer's test for identifying dysfunction of the GPN in patients with facial paralysis due to Bell's palsy. Of the total of 115 patients, 32 (28%) had taste dysfunction and 9 (28.1%) of these 32 patients also had lacrimal dysfunction. This finding indicates that facial paralysis has different effects on the sensory and secretory nerve fibers of the GPN. The results of Schirmer's test were more closely related to the severity of, and prognosis for, facial paralysis than the results of EGM.     

铁必复颗粒治疗缺铁感音神经性聋患者的疗效分析

目的 探讨铁必复颗粒治疗有缺铁的感音神经性耳聋患者的临床疗效。 方法 收集感音神经性耳聋患者1 214例,检查血清铁蛋白,筛查出存在缺铁的患者217例,其中单侧耳聋患者54例,双侧163例,以听力较好耳为观察对象,完全随机分为两组,铁必复颗粒组109耳,西药对照组108耳,铁必复颗粒组接受铁必复颗粒冲服,西药对照组口服常规剂量新B1、敏使朗、弥可保等,两组患者均连续用药2个月以上。分别在用药前1~3 d,治疗1、2个月时测平均电测听阈值和血清铁蛋白,观察听力改变与血清铁蛋白变化是否相关。 结果 治疗1个月后铁必复颗粒组有78耳(71.6%)血清铁蛋白恢复正常值,2个月后共有97耳(89.0%)血清铁蛋白恢复正常值,对照组分别为11耳(10.2%)和15耳(13.9%),秩和检验两组有效率差异有统计学意义(P<0.001)。听力测试结果显示治疗2个月后铁必复颗粒组显效9耳,有效48耳,总有效率为52.3%;西药对照组108耳,显效2耳,有效22耳,总有效率为22.2%。铁必复颗粒组有效率高于西药对照组,经秩和检验两组总有效率差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。铁必复颗粒组听阈提高与血清铁蛋白的上升呈正相关,西药对照组无相关性。 结论 部分感音神经性耳聋可能与缺铁有关,铁必复颗粒能有效改善人体内缺铁状况,有效改善缺铁并感音神经性耳聋患者的听力情况。     

The effect of early division of the chorda tympani on gustatory function

This study was undertaken to assess dysgeusia in patients who have undergone middle ear surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) when the surgeon's practice was to cleanly divide the chorda tympani without prior manipulation, if it in any way hindered operative access or the aims of surgery. We wanted to determine whether lower rates of taste disturbance might be obtained by early, clean division of the nerve. We followed 110 patients prospectively and asked them to complete a postoperative dysgeusia questionnaire 1 year after surgery. The "cut nerve" group included 81 patients, and the "uncut nerve" group included 29 patients. In the uncut group, the nerve was untouched or underwent minimal handling. In the cut nerve group, 68% of patients had no taste disturbance after surgery; 4% of patients in this group had ongoing symptoms at 1 year postoperatively. In the uncut nerve group, 67% were asymptomatic, while 11% had ongoing taste disturbance at 1 year. Statistical analysis of symptoms beyond 1 year showed a mean difference of 7%, but this is not statistically significant (p = 0.38). These results suggest that early division of the chorda tympani without prior manipulation in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media does not result in higher rates of taste disturbance than in patients with uncut nerves. Indeed rates of taste disturbance in our cut group were lower than in the uncut group, and lower than or comparable to those seen in other studies.     

Differences in taste detection thresholds between normal-weight and obese young adults

Conclusion: Compared with normal-weight individuals, obese young adults exhibited a significantly higher taste threshold for salty taste. Smoking also affected taste functions in this population. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in taste detection thresholds between normal-weight and obese young adults. Methods: Taste threshold was measured using electrogustometry (EGM) and chemically with sucrose, NaCl, citric acid, and quinine hydrochloride in 41 volunteers in their twenties, 23 with body mass index (BMI) <23 kg/m² (normal-weight group) and 18 with BMI >25 kg/m² (obese group). Results: BMI was significantly higher in the obese than in the normal-weight group (p < 0.05). The obese group exhibited significantly higher EGM thresholds than the normal-weight group on the right (p < 0.05) and left (p < 0.05) posterior tongue. In chemical taste tests, the obese group had higher thresholds for sweet, salty, sour, and bitter tastes than the normal-weight group, although the difference in threshold was significant only for salty taste (p < 0.05). Smoking had an impact on taste threshold, with smokers having higher thresholds than non-smokers, with significantly higher EGM thresholds on the right anterior and posterior and the left anterior tongue (p < 0.05 each).