title: Cytogenetic damage of oral mucosa by consumption of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to quantitatively evaluate micronuclei (MN) in the mucosa of users of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs in a Brazilian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided: (i) experimental group - 24 patients users of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs from the Center of Psychosocial Care for Alcohol and other Drugs (CAPSad), São José dos Campos city, and (ii) control group: 24 patients attending the clinics of the São José dos Campos Dental School FOSJC-UNESP. Criterion for inclusion in the two groups was no visible clinical alteration in the oral mucosa. Exfoliative cytology specimens were obtained from the left side of the border of the tongue. Feulgen staining was used and 600 cells per subject were evaluated by light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of MN and micronucleated cells was analysed statistically using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The incidence of MN was 3.08 +/- 3.20 in the CAPSad group and 2.08 +/- 1.93 in the control group. The frequency of micronucleated cells was 2.38 +/- 2.57 in the CAPSad group and 1.42 +/- 1.25 in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed a higher frequency of MN and micronucleated cells in the CAPSad group, but the difference compared with the control group was not significant.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduation Program in Oral Biopathology, São José dos Campos Dental School, São Paulo State University - UNESP, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil. celinafaig@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Celina Faig
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Lidiana Ubiña
authors.initials: LU
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio Guimarães
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Adriana Aigotti Haberbeck
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: Miguel Angelo Castillo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Janete Dias
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D014803:Vitamin B Complex