Abstract
Intro: Evaluation of gustatory dysfunction is important in
patients with subjective chemosensory dysfunction, especially for
geriatrics. This study investigated the clinical characteristics
associated with objective gustatory dysfunction in patients with
chemosensory dysfunction.
Methods: The Medical records of patients who visited the smell
and taste center in a tertiary medical center were reviewed. Patients
who underwent all the psychophysical olfactory and chemical gustatory
function tests and the subjective questionnaire about chemosensory
function were enrolled in this study. The clinical characteristics
associated with the objective diagnosis of gustatory dysfunction were
statistically analyzed.
Results: A total of 219 patients were enrolled; 180 were
objectively diagnosed as having normal gustatory function, and 39 were
objectively diagnosed as having gustatory dysfunction. Subjective
recognition of gustatory function was not associated with objective
gustatory function. Age, sex, objective olfactory function, and the
threshold and discrimination scores for the olfactory function test were
significant factors in the multivariate analysis. When the patients were
further divided according to age, the threshold test scores rather than
other subsets in the olfactory function test were significantly
associated with objective gustatory dysfunction in patients 60 and
older.
Conclusion: In older adult male patients with olfactory
dysfunction, gustatory function should be considered regardless of
subjective gustatory dysfunction.
Keywords: Gustatory dysfunction, age, gustatory function test,
relationship, olfactory