Cytopathological Changes Induced by the Crack Use in Oral Mucosa.
AIMS
To evaluate cytological alterations, inflammation, and microbial charge of the oral mucosa epithelium in crack users in in terms of the amount and duration of use.


METHODS
Two hundred thirty four crack users (case group) and 120 non-users (control group) participated in this study. Clinically healthy epithelial cells were collected from the posterior mouth floor, using the conventional exfoliative cytology. Some of the aspects evaluated were as follows: Papanicolaou classification, nuclear area (NA), cytoplasmic area (CA), nuclear/cytoplasmic area ratio (NA/CA), inflammation, microbial charge, keratinization, enucleated superficial cells, and binucleation.


RESULTS
The average time of crack consumption was 9.8 years (±7.1) and the average quantity of use was 13.97 g/week (±18.5). The average NA values and NA/CA ratio were increased and CA values were decreased in the case group compared to those in the controls (p < 0.05). Papanicolaou class II, intense inflammation, and intense microbial charge were more prevalent in the case group than in the controls (p < 0.05). There was a significant association between high quantity of smoked crack rocks per week and increased CA values, absence of keratinization, and presence of enucleated superficial cells (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSION
Crack use seemed to induce inflammatory alterations and early indicators of malignant transformation on the oral mucosa epithelium.
['Albini|Milena Binhame|MB|', 'Malacarne|Ingra Taís|IT|', 'Batista|Thiago Beltrami Dias|TBD|', 'de Lima|Antônio Adilson Soares|AAS|', 'Machado|Maria Angela Naval|MAN|', 'Johann|Aline Cristina Batista Rodrigues|ACBR|', 'Rosa|Edvaldo Antonio Ribeiro|EAR|', 'Azevedo-Alanis|Luciana Reis|LR|']
D000328:Adult D003585:Cell Biology D002467:Cell Nucleus D016578:Crack Cocaine D004847:Epithelial Cells D006801:Humans D008297:Male D009061:Mouth Mucosa D009062:Mouth Neoplasms D065006:Papanicolaou Test D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Cytology Inflammation Crack cocaine Drug abuse Mouth mucosa Oral cancer Papanicolaou test