Study of taste and smell in chronic renal failure patients undergoing dialysis and its relationship to serum zinc levels

ABSTRACT

Study of taste and smell was undertaken in a group of 15 male patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. The study revealed marked attenuation of both of these sensations. Simultaneous determination of serum zinc levels revealed essentially normal levels, thus the disturbances occurring in these functions cannot be ascribed to simple zinc deficiency. The various mechanisms for disturbed taste and smell in these patients were discussed