Reactions 1449 - 27 Apr 2013

Terbinafine

Taste loss: 2 case reportsTwo patients developed taste loss while receiving

terbinafine.A 61-year-old man presented with a 1-week history of loss

of bitter and sour taste sensation. Examination also revealedpartial loss of sweet and salty sensation. He had been receivingoral terbinafine [dosage not stated] for onychomycosis for theprevious 36 days. Terbinafine was withdrawn. His tastefunction completely recovered after 2 months.

A 47-year-old woman had a Trichophyton rubrum infectionof the fingernails. She began receiving oral terbinafine 250mgdaily, and was followed at a 2-week interval. At her secondfollow-up, she reported lost of interest in eating food. Her tasteof spicy food was impaired, and she required more sugar andsalt. Examination revealed loss of bitter and sour tastesensation, with partial loss of salty and sweet sensation.Terbinafine was withdrawn. Four weeks later, her tastesensation had completely recovered.

Author comment: "Temporal association of taste loss4–6 weeks after starting terbinafine and recovery afterstopping the drug proved terbinafine as cause of taste loss inboth these patients."Sinha R, et al. Terbinafine-induced taste impairment - report of two cases. Journalof Pakistan Association of Dermatologists 22: 363-365, No. 4, Oct-Dec 2012.Available from: URL: http://www.jpad.org.pk/Issue-Oct-Dec-2012.asp -India 803086200

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Reactions 27 Apr 2013 No. 14490114-9954/10/1449-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved