Abstract

Background: According to social organizations, glue inhalation has become increasingly prevalent among street-involved youth. This study aimed to evaluate the cytomorphological effects of glue inhalation on buccal mucosal cells.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 150 individuals aged < 25 years; 50 habitual glue users served as the case group. Fifty age- and sex-matched peers with no history of inhalant use comprised Control 1, whereas 50 apparently healthy subjects with neither inhalant nor tobacco exposure formed Control 2. Exfoliated buccal samples were obtained, Papanicolaou-stained, and evaluated microscopically for cytomorphological alterations.

Results: Among glue users, bacterial infection was detected in 8/50 participants and human papillomavirus infection in 32/50. Perinuclear halo formation was present in 43/50 cases. Nuclear atypia, inflammation, and infection differed significantly between groups (each p < 0.001), whereas the prevalence of perinuclear halos did not (p = 0.71). Nuclear atypia correlated positively with both duration of inhalant use (p < 0.001) and quantity inhaled (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Chronic glue inhalation is therefore associated with significant cytomorphological changes in buccal epithelial cells, including nuclear atypia, perinuclear halos, inflammation, and bacterial as well as viral infection.