Figure 2.

Meta-analysis of the effect of zinc replacement for the treatment of taste disorder. Forest plot including data analysis of five studies with a total of 508 cases of idiopathic and zinc-deficient taste disorder enrolled to experimental (n = 259) and control groups (n = 249). Data expressed as event “total number of cases that improved after receiving the treatment or placebo,” and total “total number of participants in either control or experimental group” p value for heterogeneity was 0.22. The pooled results of this meta-analysis indicated that taste disorder improvement occurred significantly more frequently in the supplemented group compared to the control group. Overall RR is positive (RR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.16–1.64), and statistical significance was found to be p=0.0002.