Drug-induced taste and smell alterations: a case/non-case evaluation of an italian database of spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting.

BACKGROUND

The frequency and clinical features of drug-related taste and/or smell impairments are currently unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify major drug classes associated with taste and smell alterations reported to the Italian spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting database.

METHODS

The association between drug and altered taste or smell was investigated by case/non-case methodology. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) was used as a measure of disproportionality. Cases were defined as patients with at least one ADR related to taste or smell impairments. The non-cases included all patients without any ADRs related to taste or smell alterations.

RESULTS

According to the selection criteria, 52 166 reports were included in the analysis. Overall, 182 cases of drug-related taste and/or smell dysfunctions were identified. Statistically significant unadjusted RORs were reported for macrolides (n = 31; 7.1; 95% CI 4.8, 10.5), terbinafine (the only drug reported within the group of antimycotics belonging to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical class D01AE) [n = 17; 76.4; 95% CI 44.0, 132.6], fluoroquinolones (n = 15; 1.7; 95% CI 1.0, 2.8) and protein kinase inhibitors (n = 10; 4.0; 95% CI 2.1, 7.7). When RORs were adjusted for sex and age category, the disproportion remained statistically significant for all of the previously mentioned drug classes.

CONCLUSIONS

Taste and/or smell abnormalities are common, sometimes unexpected and often persistent complaints of patients during pharmacological treatments. Physicians should be aware of the impact of these ADRs on patients' quality of life.