Cytological Analisis of Cell Alterations Induced by Smoking and Drinking

Objective: the aim of this work was to evaluate cellular alterations, induced by smoking and alcoholic beverage detected by exfoliative cytology. Methods: 25 students whith smoking and alcohol consuming habits were compared to 25 control. A questionnaire recorded the amount of cigarretes and alcoholic beverages consumed, the frequency and duration of habit and the tipe of alcoholic beverage.Three smears of each individual were analised by two calibrated observers. Results:the alterations observed in the smoking group are indicative of inflammation and higher queratinization, but are not statistically significant (p<0.005). Beer and cigarretes were consumed at the same time by 96.15 percent and 92,3 percent smoked more when drinking. Conclusions: smoking and alcoholic beverages induced only inflammatory alterations, but their carcingenic potential effect can not be discarded because the studied group was compoused by young individuals with low exposure.