Table 6

Proportion of cases that were not able to complete their daily energy requirements was higher between patients with sweet and bitter DT and RT above the median compared to patients with normal taste thresholds

Threshold

Energy requirement (%)

p

Energy requirement

p

No

Yes

Media ± SD

Sweet DT

≥ 6.4 μmol/ml

87.5

12.5

0.03*

-632 ± 361

0.05

<6.4 μmol/ml

40.9

59.1

-32 ± 162

Sweet RT

≥ 8.9 μmol/ml

83.3

16.7

0.05

-428 ± 2.58

0.06

<8.9 μmol/ml

37.5

62.5

14.7 ± 8.2

Bitter DT

≥ 92 μmol/ml

66.7

33.3

0.65*

-487.4 ± 211

0.03

<92 μmol/ml

50

50

66.0 ± 215

Bitter RT

≥ 100 μmol/ml

66.7

33.3

0.05

-208 ± 188

0.82

<100 μmol/ml

50

50

-126 ± 162

Threshold

Protein requirement (%)

p

Protein requirement

p

No

Yes

Media ± SD

Sweet DT

≥ 6.4 μmol/ml

55.6

44.4

0.76

-15.6 ± 13.5

0.25

<6.4 μmol/ml

50

50

7.9 ± 9.5

Sweet RT

≥ 8.9 μmol/ml

71.4

28.6

0.06

-12.2 ± 6.6

0.07

<8.9 μmol/ml

37.5

62.5

13.7 ± 12.4

Bitter DT

≥ 92 μmol/ml

66.7

33.3

1.0*

-13.2 ± 7.6

0.19

<92 μmol/ml

50

50

14.6 ± 12.7

Bitter RT

≥ 100 μmol/ml

43.8

56.3

0.26

1.4 ± 9.7

0.9

<100 μmol/ml

64.3

35.7

2.5 ± 11.3

DT = detection threshold

RT = recognition threshold

SD = standard deviation

μmol/ml = micromole/millimeter

Mann-Whitney U test

* Fisher' s Exact Test

Sánchez-Lara et al. Nutrition Journal 2010 9:15   doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-15