Taste and smell complaints in HIV-infected patients.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Taste and smell complaints in HIV-infected patients.

AIDS. 1998 Sep 10;12(13):1667-74. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/98435816
Heald AE; Pieper CF; Schiffman SS; Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham,; North Carolina 27710, USA.

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To define the scope of taste and smell (chemosensory) complaints amongst HIV-infected persons in the study population; to evaluate the clinical factors associated with chemosensory complaints; and to determine the impact of chemosensory complaints on quality of life. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Tertiary care university medical center clinic. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 207 HIV-infected patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Chemosensory complaint score from taste and smell questionnaire and quality of life scores from the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV). RESULTS: A total of 144 patients (70%) reported chemosensory complaints, 91 (44%) reported both taste and smell complaints, 47 (23%) reported only taste complaints, and six (3%) reported only smell complaints. Many patients complained that drugs interfered with their sense of taste, or that medications tasted bad. Higher chemosensory complaint scores were associated with a greater number of medications taken, tobacco use, and hay fever. Patients with chemosensory complaints had significantly lower scores in all domains of the MOS-HIV than those without complaints. Quality of life as measured by the MOS-HIV was lower in patients with chemosensory complaints even after controlling for number of AIDS diagnoses, number of medications, CD4 cell count, and HIV-1 viral load. CONCLUSIONS: Chemosensory complaints were common in the patient population and were associated with a poor quality of life. Medications played an important role in chemosensory complaints. Measures to optimize taste and smell function may improve quality of life and medication adherence, and prevent complications such as inadequate oral intake, malnutrition, weight loss, and ultimately wasting.

Keywords: JOURNAL ARTICLE Adult Aged Anti-HIV Agents/ADVERSE EFFECTS Anti-Infective Agents/ADVERSE EFFECTS Antibiotics, Macrolide/ADVERSE EFFECTS Clarithromycin/ADVERSE EFFECTS Didanosine/ADVERSE EFFECTS Female Human HIV Infections/DRUG THERAPY/*PHYSIOPATHOLOGY Indinavir/ADVERSE EFFECTS Lamivudine/ADVERSE EFFECTS Male Middle Age Quality of Life Questionnaires Ritonavir/ADVERSE EFFECTS *Smell/DRUG EFFECTS Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. *Taste/DRUG EFFECTS Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Combination/ADVERSE EFFECTS Zidovudine/ADVERSE EFFECTS
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A9920962

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