Oral Leukoplakia: Clinicopathological Correlation and Its Relevance to Regional Tobacco-related Habit Index.
BACKGROUND
A case control study was carried out to evaluate the synergistic effects of habits quantified by habit index and its effect and severity on the clinicopathological features of oral leukoplakia in a cohort of 100 patients visiting Triveni Dental College, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India.


METHODS
One hundred patients indulging in tobacco-related habits (smoking and smokeless forms) were categorized into two groups: A case/experimental group consisting of 50 patients presenting with oral leukoplakia lesion and a control group consisting of 50 patients with no clinical signs of oral leukoplakia. Habit index was calculated in both groups. Case group was further subjected to incisional biopsy of the lesion followed by histopathological examination. All the variables in the study were statistically analyzed for the mean, standard deviation, i.e., value of central tendency, z-test, test of significance, and Pearson's correlation (r-test).


RESULTS
For p < 0.05 bidi habit index was significantly higher in the case group. Higher bidi habit index was evident in the severe stages of lesion ice, p < 0.001 (highly significant). The degree of dysplasia was higher with advancing clinical stage of the lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher bidi habit index in the case group contributed significantly for severe stages of lesion and thereby indicates its probable progression toward malignancy. Nonhomogenous leukoplakia of the speckled subtype exhibited moderate and severe epithelial dysplasia. Hence, quantification of tobacco-related habits and the clinical appearance of the premalignant lesion predict the risk of subsequent malignant transformation of the disease.
Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital and Research Centre, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India, Phone: +919179020345, e-mail: dr.prashanths@gmail.com.
Prashanth
P
Shetty
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital and Research Centre, Bilaspur Chhattisgarh, India.
Shweta
S
Hegde
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital and Research Centre Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India.
K S
KS
Vinod
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital and Research Centre, Bilaspur Chhattisgarh, India.
Salona
S
Kalra
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital and Research Centre, Bilaspur Chhattisgarh, India.
Prasoon
P
Goyal
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital and Research Centre Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India.
Mimansha
M
Patel
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*
Epithelial dysplasia; Habit index leukoplakia; Tobacco-related habits.