Abstract

SANCHEZ HERNANDEZ, Lara  and  RIHUETE GALVE, María Isabel. Influence of taste and smell dysfunction on oncology patients' nutrition. Index Enferm [online]. 2016, vol.25, n.4, pp.233-237. ISSN 1699-5988.

Objective: To determine the influence of taste and smell disorders, a side effect of antineoplastic treatments, on nutrition of oncologic patients, amongst whom malnutrition is one of the most common complications. Methods: 62 patients from University Hospital of Salamanca, receiving treatment with chemotherapy, were included in our study. To investigate the nutritional state and secondary symptoms of the therapy, we did an interview and used the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) method. Results: Malnutrition is frequent (67.8%), and is related to the loss of appetite and reduced intake. These are observed to be influenced by taste disorder, which is also frequent among patients (62.9%). The results show that hygiene-dietetic habits could prevent the development of sensorial disorders. Conclusions: Food aversions due to taste disorders seem to indirectly affect the malnutrition status of oncologic patients by causing loss of appetite and reduced intake.

Keywords : Malnutrition; Cancer; Taste disorders; Smell disorders.