J Audiol Otol.  2017 Apr;21(1):16-21. 10.7874/jao.2017.21.1.16.

Effect of Age and Severity of Facial Palsy on Taste Thresholds in Bell's Palsy Patients

• Park JM
• Kim MG
• Jung J
• Kim SS
• Jung AR
• Kim SH
• Yeo SG

• KMID: 2375761
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7874/jao.2017.21.1.16

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
To investigate whether taste thresholds, as determined by electrogustometry (EGM) and chemical taste tests, differ by age and the severity of facial palsy in patients with Bell's palsy.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
This study included 29 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy between January 2014 and May 2015 in our hospital. Patients were assorted into age groups and by severity of facial palsy, as determined by House-Brackmann Scale, and their taste thresholds were assessed by EGM and chemical taste tests.
RESULTS
EGM showed that taste thresholds at four locations on the tongue and one location on the central soft palate, 1 cm from the palatine uvula, were significantly higher in Bell's palsy patients than in controls (p<0.05). In contrast, chemical taste tests showed no significant differences in taste thresholds between the two groups (p>0.05). The severity of facial palsy did not affect taste thresholds, as determined by both EGM and chemical taste tests (p>0.05). The overall mean electrical taste thresholds on EGM were higher in younger Bell's palsy patients than in healthy subjects, with the difference at the back-right area of the tongue differing significantly (p<0.05). In older individuals, however, no significant differences in taste thresholds were observed between Bell's palsy patients and healthy subjects (p>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Electrical taste thresholds were higher in Bell's palsy patients than in controls. These differences were observed in younger, but not in older, individuals.

Keyword

Bell's palsy; Taste; Electrogustometry; Chemical taste test

MeSH Terms

Bell Palsy*
Facial Paralysis*
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Palate, Soft
Taste Threshold*
Tongue
Uvula