title: Zinc gluconate in the treatment of dysgeusia--a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: In the treatment of dysgeusia, the use of zinc has been frequently tried, with equivocal results. The aim of the present randomized clinical trial, which involved a sufficiently large sample, was therefore to determine the efficacy of zinc treatment. Fifty patients with idiopathic dysgeusia were carefully selected. Zinc gluconate (140 mg/day; n=26) or placebo (lactose; n=24) was randomly assigned to the patients. The patients on zinc improved in terms of gustatory function (p <0.001) and rated the dysgeusia as being less severe (p <0.05). Similarly, signs of depression in the zinc group were less severe (Beck Depression Inventory, p <0.05; mood scale, p <0.05). With the exception of the salivary calcium level, which was higher in the zinc patients (p <0.05), no other significant group differences were found. In conclusion, zinc appears to improve general gustatory function and, consequently, general mood scores in dysgeusia patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstr. 11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. siegfried.heckmann@rzmail.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Heckmann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hujoel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Habiger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Friess
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Heckmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hummel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004408:Dysgeusia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005942:Gluconates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005942:Gluconates; D015032:Zinc