Taste Disturbance: An Unfamiliar Side Effect Associated with the Familiar Antifungal Agent, Terbinafine

Jeong, Young In; Huh, Joon Won; Kim, Geon; Choi, Kwang Hyun; Park, Hyang Joon; Jue, Mihn Sook

Abstract

Terbinafine is a highly effective oral antifungal agent that is used to treat dermatophyte infections of the skin and nails. Although generally well tolerated, common side effects of terbinafine include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, urticarial or erythematous eruptions, and pruritus. Taste disturbance is a rare side effect of terbinafine, occurring in 0.6%approximately2.8% patients taking the drug orally. Here, we report the case of a 67-year-old man who complained of taste disturbance and loss of appetite 1 month after starting terbinafine treatment for onychomycosis. Low body mass index and advanced age are considered predisposing factors for the development of terbinafine-induced taste disturbance. As the proportion of elderly population is increasing, the frequency in use of the prescription of drugs such as terbinafine for the elderly is also increasing. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of this unfamiliar and uncommon adverse effect associated with the antifungal agent, terbinafine and should perform careful follow-up of elderly patients with low BMI taking this medication, as they may become depressed or alter their food intake in response to a decrease or loss of taste sensation.