Reproducibility of taste examination with Salsave

Control study for healthy volunteers

Abstract

Reproducibility of the gustatory thresholds with Salsave test was examined for 30 healthy volunteers. Volunteers without taste disorders or any systemic complications such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension were involved in the study. The concentration of zinc in serum was checked and confirmed to be within the normal range in each subject. The Salsave test was performed by the rising method and the recognition and detection thresholds were determined three times with a 4-week or longer interval. In the results, the gustatory recognition threshold was decreased in the second and the third examinations compared to the first examination. However, there was no significant difference in the gustatory detection threshold between each examination. The recognition threshold was not correlated with the detection threshold in one case and was remarkably higher than the detection threshold. The findings demonstrate the reproducibility of the Salsave test and the importance of the detection threshold in Salsave test as a benchmark in following up a patient with taste disorder.