title: Clinical significance of smell and taste disorders in patients with diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Chemosensory dysfunction has been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the clinical significance in relation to the disease stage remains unclear. The aim of this investigation was to assess olfactory and gustatory function with valid clinical tests in patients with DM types 1 and 2 with and without accompanying diseases. Seventy-six patients with DM were divided into three groups according to disease stage. Taste function was tested by means of impregnated paper strips and smell function was screened using a five-item smell identification test. The results of the patients with uncomplicated DM were compared with the results from 29 healthy subjects. The results showed no significant differences in smell and taste function between patients with uncomplicated DM and healthy subjects. However, patients with additional diseases exhibited decreased smell acuity. Moreover, patients with DM type 2 showed impaired smell function compared with patients with DM type 1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riedl
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.forename: Christian Albert
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult