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Taste impairment in chronic rhinosinusitis
Florence Othieno1, Rodney J Schlosser1,2, Nicholas R Rowan1
1Division of Rhinology and Sinus Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology
|March 24, 2018
Summary
Taste dysfunction affects 28% of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients, correlating with male gender, smoking history, and older age. This gustatory loss did not correlate with olfactory dysfunction or disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients frequently report smell and taste disturbances.
- Objective assessment of taste dysfunction in CRS has been lacking.
- Understanding taste impairment in CRS is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively assess taste dysfunction in CRS patients.
- To determine the correlation between taste and olfactory dysfunction.
- To evaluate the impact of taste dysfunction on quality of life (QOL) and identify influencing clinical factors.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of 68 CRS patients.
- Validated taste strips for assessing sweet, sour, salty, and bitter perception.
- Olfactory testing (Sniffin' Sticks) and endoscopic evaluation (Lund-Kennedy, OCES).
Main Results:
- Prevalence of dysgeusia (taste dysfunction) was 28% in CRS patients.
- Taste scores were significantly lower for sour stimuli.
- No correlation found between taste and objective olfactory metrics or CRS severity.
- Taste scores positively correlated with younger age, female gender, and non-smoking status.
Conclusions:
- Taste dysfunction is prevalent in approximately 28% of CRS patients.
- Gustatory loss in CRS is associated with male gender, smoking history, and older age.
- Taste dysfunction in CRS is independent of olfactory dysfunction.
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