title: Taste genetics and gastrointestinal symptoms experienced in chronic kidney disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is unknown what causes uraemic symptoms in renal disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are known to have increased levels of urea, sodium, potassium and phosphate in their saliva compared with those without renal disease. The present cross-sectional study investigated associations between known genetic traits of taste and self-reported upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced in CKD patients with the changes in saliva composition found in renal failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six CKD patients (35 males, 21 females, age 67±14 years), with stages 4 and 5 renal failure, selected from a tertiary hospital renal outpatient clinic participated in this study. Subjects answered a questionnaire to assess upper GI symptoms and tested for the genetic taste recognition thresholds of thiourea, phenylthiocarbamide and sodium benzoate. Saliva samples were collected to determine biochemical composition. Possible associations between genetic taste variations, saliva composition and upper GI symptoms were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 56 patients enroled, 29 (52%) reported major upper GI uraemic symptoms, whereas 27 (48%) had no symptoms or only minor complaints of dry mouth. There was a strong association between the symptomatic burden a patient experienced and the genetic ability to taste thiourea (P<0.0003). Uraemic symptoms of taste changes (P<0.004) and nausea (P<0.002) were found to be related to a patient's genetic ability to taste thiourea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that the genetic ability to taste thiourea as bitter, in combination with the increase in active compounds found in CKD patient's saliva, impacts on the uraemic upper GI symptoms experienced.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Nutrition and Dietetics, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Manley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004408:Dysgeusia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010670:Phenylthiourea / Q000009:adverse effects; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020160:Sodium Benzoate / Q000009:adverse effects; D013652:Taste Threshold; D013890:Thiourea / Q000009:adverse effects; D014511:Uremia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D010670:Phenylthiourea; D013890:Thiourea; D020160:Sodium Benzoate