Taste acuity and zinc status in chronic renal disease

The malnutrition often associated with progressive renal failure may be related to a progressive deterioration of taste acuity. To determine the relationships between taste acuity, zinc status, and progressive renal failure, 27 subjects were divided into three groups and classified as having mild, moderate, or severe renal failure, with creatinine clearance of 41 to 75, 15 to 40, and 5 to 14 ml/minute, respectively. The subjects were evaluated for recognition taste thresholds for sour and sweet by the Cornsweet method. Serum, urinary, and salivary levels for zinc were determined by atomic absorption techniques. Food diaries were kept for two days; intakes of protein and zinc were calculated from the diaries. There was a significant (p less than .01) inverse relationship between creatinine clearance and recognition taste thresholds for sour and sweet. Serum zinc levels were significantly lower (p less than .01) for subjects with severe renal failure than for subjects with mild renal failure. The subjects who ingested more protein also ingested more zinc.