TASTE ACUITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

Taste acuity for the four primary tastes has previously been shown to be impaired in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and maintenan ce dialyisis treatment, although data on CAPD (continous ambulatory pe ritoneal dialysis) patients are insufficient. In a test group of 57 CR F patients and 57 healthy controls, matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) taste acuity for the four primary tastes was det ermined. Fourteen patients were on CAPD treatment and 12 patients on h emodialysis (HD). No patients or controls were diabetic, on antibiotic treatment or had a malignant disease. Taste tests were standardized a nd performed on dialysis-free days for I-ID-patients. Taste acuity for bitter and salt was significantly lower for preuremic patients compar ed to their controls. In CAPD-patients taste detection of bitter was i mpaired and in HD-patients detection of salty taste was impaired. In c onclusion taste acuity is impaired in uremic patients and dialysis pat ients including CAPD. The mechanism for taste alterations remain to be explained.