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Taste acuity in patients with chronic renal failure
A Fernström1, B Hylander, S Rössner
1Department of Internal Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Clinical Nephrology
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Chronic renal failure (CRF) patients exhibit impaired taste, particularly for bitter and salt. This taste dysfunction affects both hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Sensory Science
- Clinical Nutrition
Background:
- Taste acuity is often impaired in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF).
- Previous research focused on hemodialysis (HD) patients, with limited data on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare taste acuity in CRF patients undergoing CAPD and HD treatments versus healthy controls.
- To determine if taste impairment extends to CAPD patients.
Main Methods:
- Taste acuity for four primary tastes was assessed in 57 CRF patients (14 CAPD, 12 HD) and 57 matched healthy controls.
- Standardized taste tests were conducted on dialysis-free days for HD patients.
- Exclusion criteria included diabetes, antibiotic treatment, and malignant disease.
Main Results:
- Pre-uremic patients showed significantly lower bitter and salt taste acuity compared to controls.
- CAPD patients exhibited impaired bitter taste detection.
- HD patients demonstrated impaired salty taste detection.
Conclusions:
- Taste acuity is demonstrably impaired in uremic patients, including those on CAPD and HD.
- The underlying mechanisms responsible for these taste alterations in renal failure patients require further investigation.