Epidemiological survey on prevalence and associated risk factors of bitter taste among inpatients from four Grade 3A hospitals in Beijing

Objective: To study the possible etiology of bitter taste in the mouth and its diagnostic significance by an epidemiological survey on its associated diseases and influence factors. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted by recruiting patients from four Grade 3A hospitals in Beijing. The questionnaire incorporated five aspects i.e. general information, gustation, behavior, symptomology and past medical history. SPSS20.0 software package was used for data analysis. T-test and chi-square test were selected for evaluation. An observation of the correlation between different causative factors and the symptoms of bitter taste was analyzed by Logistic regression. Results: Smoking and excessive consumption of meat and emotional stress were the risk factors, while eating fresh fruits and vegetables were key protective elements against the manifestation of bitter taste in the mouth. The incidence of bitter taste was high in patients suffering from gastroesophageal disease, hepatic and gallbladder diseases and neurological diseases. Conclusion: Bitter taste is a common symptom in hospitalized patients, especially in patients with gastroesophageal reflux and liver and gallbladder diseases and the link to smoking, dietary and emotional stress. It is found that smoking is a sole risk factor for the manifestation of bitter taste.