Table 1.

The mean subjective scores and taste strip test scores for each taste quality based on the presence of BMS.

Median (IQR) Mean		With BMS (n = 24)	Without BMS (n = 27)	Significance between the groups (P)	Total (n = 51)
Subjective scores	Sweet	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.63	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.56	1.000	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.59
	Salty	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.63	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.59	0.740	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.61
	Sour	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.58	2.0 (2.0–2.0) 1.67	0.523	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.63
	Bitter	1.5 (1.0–2.0) 1.42	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.56	0.363	2.0 (1.0–2.0) 1.49
	Sum	7.0 (4.3–8.0) 6.25	7.0 (5.0–8.0) 6.37	0.784	7.0 (5.0–8.0) 6.31
Taste strip test scores	Sweet	2.5 (1.0–3.0) 2.29	2.0 (1.0–3.0) 2.07	0.580	2.0 (1.0–3.0) 2.18
	Salty	2.5 (1.0–3.0) 2.25	3.0 (2.0–3.0) 2.44	0.610	3.0 (2.0–3.0) 2.35
	Sour	2.0 (0.0–3.0) 1.75	1.0 (0.0–3.0) 1.48	0.498	2.0 (0.0–3.0) 1.61
	Bitter	3.0 (2.0–4.0) 2.75	2.0 (1.0–3.0) 2.07	0.105	3.0 (1.0–4.0) 2.39
	Sum	10.5 (6.0–12.0) 9.04	7.0 (6.0–10.0) 8.07	0.276	8.0 (6.0–12.0) 8.53

BMS, burning mouth syndrome.

Subjective scores: self-reported scores of recognition ability for each taste quality with three levels (0 = not at all recognized, 1 = somewhat recognized, and 2 = easily recognized).

Taste strip test scores: the number of correct answers in four concentrations each for sweet, salty, sour, and bitter (0–4).

Sum: the sum of all subjective or taste stirp test scores for the four taste qualities (0–8 and 0–16, respectively).

Statistical significance in the subjective scores and taste strip test scores for each taste quality was not observed between patients with and without BMS (P > 0.05).

All data were presented as the median (interquartile range, IQR) and mean. The Mann–Whitney U test was used.