Alterations of taste perception in Crohn's disease and their dependency on disease activity and nutritional behavior.
BACKGROUND
The pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown. Besides immunoregulatory, genetic and environmental aspects, a nutritional impact is also encountered. Whether taste perception exerts any influence on an increased consumption of carbohydrates is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate nutritional habits and taste perception in CD patients, either in active or inactive disease stages.


METHODS
A prospective study was performed with 31 active and 27 inactive CD patients, and 30 age and sex-matched healthy subjects. Nutritional behavior was determined using an extensive optical nutrition questionnaire and taste perception was assessed by a 3-drop method with exceeding dilution tests.


RESULTS
Active and inactive CD patients exhibited a significant increased taste threshold for the detection of all solutions (bitter: P=0.0012; salty: P=0.0198; sour: P=0.0021; and sweet: P=0.0208). For recognition, the determination of bitter solution (P=0.0014) was significantly reduced in CD patients compared with healthy subjects. No impact of clinical or objective parameters of inflammation on taste perception could be established. The consumption of refined sugar in CD patients was higher than in healthy subjects, though not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
An increased taste threshold for the detection of all 4 taste qualities in active and inactive CD patients suggests a systemic pathogenesis, such as an inflammation of the oral cavity, as a manifestation of CD. In this study, changes in taste threshold were not associated with altered sugar consumption.
Zopf
Yurdagül
Y
Department of Medicine 1, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen Nuremberg, Ulmenweg 18, Erlangen91054, Germany. yurdaguel.zopf@uk-erlangen.de
Rabe
Christina
C
Kollmann
Sylvia
S
Hahn
Eckhart Georg
EG
Thürauf
Norbert
N
Schwab
Dieter
D
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055697:Taste Perception; D013652:Taste Threshold; D055815:Young Adult
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D019422:Dietary Sucrose