SPONTANEOUS RESOLUTION OF DYSGEUSIA

Background: Dysgeusia, distortion of taste perception, is a debilitati ng disorder that affects thousands of Americans. Presently, most forms of dysgeusia are considered to be untreatable, and no data are availa ble for counseling patients on the probability of recovery. Objective: To examine the probability of resolution of symptoms among patients w ith dysgeusia who were evaluated at the University of Pennsylvania Sme ll and Taste Center, Philadelphia, from January 1989 to December 1994. Design: In this retrospective study, 117 patients with primary compla ints of dysgeusia were initially identified from a population of 429 p atients with smell and taste disorders who were seen during this perio d. Participants: Forty-eight patients agreed to participate. Each pati ent completed a telephone interview and a questionnaire that contained a dysgeusia severity rating scale, medical health questions, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results: Two thirds of the patients experie nced spontaneous resolution of the dysgeusia, with the average duratio n being 10 months. A distinct relationship between the resolution of d ysgeusia and depression was identified. Conclusion: These findings, al ong with the evidence that some dysgeusias are treatable, bode well fo r a disorder that was heretofore considered by many physicians as unre lenting.