title: Cytopathological Changes Induced by the Crack Use in Oral Mucosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crack use seemed to induce inflammatory alterations and early indicators of malignant transformation on the oral mucosa epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, PUCPR, Curitiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Milena Binhame
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Albini
authors.forename: Ingra Taís
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Malacarne
authors.forename: Thiago Beltrami Dias
authors.initials: TBD
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Antônio Adilson Soares
authors.initials: AAS
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Maria Angela Naval
authors.initials: MAN
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Aline Cristina Batista Rodrigues
authors.initials: ACBR
authors.lastname: Johann
authors.forename: Edvaldo Antonio Ribeiro
authors.initials: EAR
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Luciana Reis
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Azevedo-Alanis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003585:Cell Biology; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000145:classification; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine
keywords: Crack cocaine; Cytology; Drug abuse; Inflammation; Mouth mucosa; Oral cancer; Papanicolaou test