title: Aminofeel improves the sensitivity to taste in patients with HCV-infected liver disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with chronic liver diseases have a taste disorder and altered zinc metabolism. We investigated the effects of a supplement enriched with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) (Aminofeel) on sensitivity to different tastes in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine patients (mean age 63.3+/-9.1 years) with HCV-related liver diseases were identified and examined for sensitivity to different tastes. Eight patients had no awareness of taste disorders, and 3 patients had oral lichen planus. We examined 4 tastes (sweet, salty, sour, and bitter) using a Taste Disk and sensitivity to different tastes was rated on a 6-point scale (I, II, III, IV, V, and VI). Each patient was given one sachet of Aminofeel after breakfast and another at bedtime for 90 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only one patient was aware of a taste disorder before administration of Aminofeel, but 4 patients had decreased gustatory sensitivity in the sour taste test, and 2 had it in the bitter taste test. Sensitivity to sour tastes significantly increased after the administration of Aminofeel(R) (P=0.03). Sensitivity to sweet tastes increased after the administration of Aminofeel (P=0.06). Zinc value significantly increased after the administration of Aminofeel (P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with HCV-infected liver disease have decreased sensitivity to different tastes and decreased zinc levels. Some patients were unaware that they had a taste disorder. Aminofeel improved sensitivity to different tastes and increased zinc values. Thus, Aminofeel is a useful therapeutic agent for taste disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Disease Information and Research, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan. nagao@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain