Prognostic factors of recovery with medication in patients with taste disorders.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to elucidate the prognostic factors of the patients with taste disorders who were treated with popular and common medication in Japan.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A retrospective study on the medical charts of a total of 255 patients with taste disorders who were treated primarily with oral medication including a zinc agent.

RESULTS

The factors below were significantly linked with poor prognosis: 1) male gender, 2) taste disorders that began 3 months before starting treatment and 3) a severe taste disorder grade at the initial visit.

CONCLUSIONS

We have concluded that the prognosis for the patients with taste disorders who were treated by popular and standard medication therapy in Japan recently was significantly linked to gender, the period of 3 months before starting the treatment and the severity of the disorder at the time of diagnosis. In addition, we recognized some limitations we should resolve in further research including a method of measuring "umami" and so on.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Better awareness of these factors should be clinically useful when we manage patients with taste disorders. Earlier treatment should be started to cure the symptoms.