Salt taste perception and relationship with blood pressure in type 2 diabetics

Patients with type 2 diabetes (normotensives, n=59; hypertensives, n=56) and matched controls (n=60) had salt taste perception determined using graded NaCl solutions ( 0-400 mmol 1(-1)). Diabetic hypertensives, diabetic normotensives and controls differed significantly in taste threshold to NaCl recognition (F=4.4, P=0.01) and prevalence of NaCl taste insensitivity (P=0.003). Taste threshold to NaCl recognition correlated positively with duration of diabetes (r=0.402, P=0.04) and was associated with mean arterial pressure (P<0.001), the association being significant after adjustment for age (P<0.001), gender (P< 0.001), family history of hypertension ( P< 001), body mass index (P<0.01), antihypertensive medication ( P<0.01) and proteinuria ( P<0.04).