title: Idiopathic dysgeusia; an open trial of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) therapy.
abstract: We selected two homogenous groups, each of 22 patients with idiopathic dysgeusia, an altered perception of taste, matched for age and sex, for an open trial of alpha lipoic acid compared with placebo. The 22 patients in the study group were treated with alpha lipoic acid for 2 months. The 22 patients in the control group were treated for 2 months with carboxymethylcellulose. The latter group was then treated with alpha lipoic acid for 2 months. The results showed significant symptomatic improvements compared with placebo, in both groups of patients with dysgeusia treated with alpha lipoic acid, suggesting that idiopathic dysgeusia may be a neuropathy comparable to the burning mouth syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Stomatology Clinic II, University of Medicine and Surgery, Napoli, Italy. femiano@libero.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Femiano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scully
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gombos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004408:Dysgeusia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010919:Placebos; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium