Smell and taste function in children with chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Loss of appetite and poor growth are common in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and changes in smell and/or taste function may be responsible, but the hypothesis has not been proven. This aims of this prospective age- and gender-controlled study were to determine whether: (1) changes in smell and taste function occur in children with CKD; (2) smell or taste dysfunction are associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); (3) there is an association between smell or taste loss and body mass index (BMI). The study cohort consisted of 72 children of whom 20 were CKD stage 3-5 patients, 12 were CKD stage 2 patients, 20 were clinical controls (CC) and 20 were healthy children (HC). The CKD patients and clinical controls were recruited from Sydney Children's Hospital and The Children's Hospital, Westmead, and healthy controls were recruited from a local school. Scores for each group from taste and smell chemosensory function tests were compared, and their relationship with renal function and BMI investigated. The CKD stage 3-5 group had a significantly lower taste identification score (85.6%, P< 0.001) than the CC (94.8%) and HC (94.8%) groups, with almost one third of the children in the CKD stage 3-5 group exhibiting taste loss. Decreased taste function was associated with decreased eGFR (r = 0.43, P < 0.01), but no association between BMI and taste function was found (r = 0.001, P > 0.9). Odour identification scores were not different; however, there was a positive relationship with BMI (r = 0.427, P = 0.006). We conclude that a loss of taste can occur in children with CKD and that when it occurs, it worsens as eGFR declines and is found early in kidney disease.

Evaluation of smell and taste in patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis

“…However, ID and DIS tests were signiWcantly reduced as well in our patients even to a lower amount than THR. In addition, renal insuYciency has been shown to alter olfactory function [31][32][33][34]. Although 31.25% of the patients in this study had renal involvement by WG (classical WG), there was no signiWcant diVerence in smell and taste function when compared with those without renal aVectation.…”

Taste and smell dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors

“…This criteria was established from normative data for children (n=232) and adults (n= 56) older than five years, using the same test procedure [21]. The same criteria for taste impairment has been used with participants with cystic fibrosis [22], chronic kidney disease [23] and healthy school children [24].…”

Taste genetics and gastrointestinal symptoms experienced in chronic kidney disease

“…This phenomenon has been also observed where no association between taste function and body mass index has been found. 33 Taste alterations can lead to obesity or malnutrition as differences in genetics of taste are known to influence food preferences especially for vegetables. 20 The present findings demonstrated that CKD patients sensitive to thiourea have a higher level of upper GI symptoms of taste changes, nausea and dry retching.…”