INTRODUCTION: Chemosensory dysfunction is common. Although patients complain of taste loss, the most common cause of a diminished taste experience is olfactory dysfunction. METHODS: Since January 2017, patients with complaints about smell and/or taste loss have been referred to the Flavour Clinic by ear, nose and throat (ENT) practitioners. Prior to referral, CT, endoscopy of the nasal cavity and allergy testing were required. Patients underwent full olfactory and gustatory testing, complete ENT and neurological examination and review of medicine and medical history. Patients also completed different questionnaires such as the Mini Mental Status Examination, the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test and the Major Depression Inventory. RESULTS: Among 515 patients, 97% complained of olfactory loss and 82% complained of taste loss. While 89% had a measurable olfactory deficit, only 22% were found to have a gustatory deficit. CONCLUSIONS: An accurate distinction between smell and taste requires application of validated chemosensory tests and specialised knowledge. As this is not readily available in all ENT clinics, sensory loss without a clear aetiology should be referred to a more specialisedcentre. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant. Articles published in the DMJ are “open access”. This means that the articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
INTRODUCTION:Chemosensory dysfunction is common. Although patients complain of taste loss, the most common cause of a diminished taste experience is olfactory dysfunction. METHODS: Since January 2017, patients with complaints about smell and/or taste loss have been referred to the Flavour Clinic by ear, nose and throat (ENT) practitioners. Prior to referral, CT, endoscopy of the nasal cavity and allergy testing were required. Patients underwent full olfactory and gustatory testing, complete ENT and neurological examination and review of medicine and medical history. Patients also completed different questionnaires such as the Mini Mental Status Examination, the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test and the Major Depression Inventory. RESULTS: Among 515 patients, 97% complained of olfactory loss and 82% complained of taste loss. While 89% had a measurable olfactory deficit, only 22% were found to have a gustatory deficit. CONCLUSIONS: An accurate distinction between smell and taste requires application of validated chemosensory tests and specialised knowledge. As this is not readily available in all ENT clinics, sensory loss without a clear aetiology should be referred to a more specialisedcentre. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant. Articles published in the DMJ are “open access”. This means that the articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.