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Published on: July 6, 2017
Electrogustometry: Normative data for stimulus duration, tongue site and age decline
Pavlos Pavlidis1, Gregor Alexander Schittek2, Athanasios Saratziotis3
1ENT Clinic, Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Objectives:
Our primary goal was to evaluate the effect of stimulus duration on electrogustometry (EGM) thresholds. Additionally, we sought to evaluate any sex-related influences and compare the above results to those of taste strips.
Design:
Electrogustometry thresholds of various stimulus durations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 seconds) were measured in 212 non-smokers (age range: 10-80 years, divided into eight age-groups) without self-reported gustatory impairment. Furthermore, taste strips chemogustometry measurements in 132 participants were performed.
Setting:
Tertiary referral medical centre.
Participants:
212 non-smokers, divided into eight age-groups participated in the study.
Main Outcome Measures:
Electrogustometry thresholds and taste strips, duration of EGM stimuli.
Results:
Electrogustometry thresholds increased progressively with age and with stimulus duration from 0.5 to 2 seconds. This pattern was consistent in all six anatomic areas, irrespective of sex. In contrast, when using chemogustometry, no age- or sex-related differences were observed.
Conclusions:
Electrogustometry-threshold values increase progressively with age and with stimulus duration. Therefore, we recommend documenting stimulus duration in the future EGM recordings as it may significantly affect EGM amplitude threshold values.
