Gustatory dysfunction is associated with increased mortality Among US adults

Abstract Gustatory dysfunction (GD), or taste dysfunction, is associated with poor quality of life. Recent literature has demonstrated an association between olfactory dysfunction (OD) and mortality in older adults. However, the association between GD and mortality has not been rigorously studied in a large national cohort. This study helps characterize this relationship and explore underlying mechanisms. Cross-sectional study of the 2013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey linked to the National Death Index (NDI) through 2019. GD was assessed through self-report and psychometric recognition of quinine and salt, excluding participants with self-reported and psychometric OD. Cox proportional hazards regression models examined associations between GD and mortality, adjusting for demographics, history of cardiovascular comorbidities, diabetes, and malignancy, nutritional status, cognitive function, and depression. Subgroup analysis was also performed based on age and sex. The analytical cohort consisted of 1,136 adults aged 40 and older with complete data, subsequently weighted to create a nationally representative cohort. Isolated psychometric GD is associated with an 87% increased risk of 5-year all-cause mortality after adjusting for all covariates (HR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.09 to 3.21, P = 0.023). This relationship remains robust among a subgroup of younger participants age 40 to 64 (HR = 18.89, 95% CI = 1.73 to 205.96, P = 0.016) and among male participants (HR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.34 to 4.76, P = 0.004). Isolated self-reported GD is not statistically significantly associated with mortality. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate an association between GD and mortality, supporting the growing body of literature linking chemosensory dysfunction with unhealthy aging, a finding that warrants more clinical scrutiny.