ALTERATIONS IN TASTE ACUITY ASSOCIATED WITH ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

Taste detection and recognition thresholds were monitored in 10 patients for up to 1 yr after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). As well as a control group of 12 healthy volunteers, taste acuity was tested in 10 patients, who had undergone BMT 2-5 yr previously. Immediately after transplantation, there was significant hypogeusia of all four taste modalities compared to registrations one week before the aplastic phase and also compared to the healthy control group. Although some normalization of taste thresholds was registered 3-6 months after transplantation, most subjects still experienced dysgeusia. Of the four taste modalities, the most frequently recorded change was a raised threshold for salt. In about 80% of the patients taste acuity had recovered to the control values one year after transplantation. The group tested 2-5 yr after BMT had normal values for taste acuity.