Smoking-associated squamous metaplasia in olfactory mucosa of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Publication/Presentation Date

8-1-2009

Abstract

Few studies have examined the induction of squamous metaplasia in human olfactory nasal tissue caused by tobacco use and the implications it may have for olfaction, particularly when there are pre-existing insults, such as chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Quantitative histopathological analyses were performed on Alcian blue- and H&E-stained sections of nasal biopsies taken from the upper aspect of the middle turbinate of CRS patients. Chronic rhinosinusitis patients who were current smokers had a predominance of squamous metaplasia in the olfactory sensory epithelium, whereas CRS patients who were nonsmokers and were not exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke had a prevalence of goblet cell hyperplasia. In spite of this difference, the groups did not differ significantly in olfactory threshold sensitivity. The impact of primary cigarette smoke on olfaction and a possible role of squamous metaplasia in preserving olfactory neurogenesis are discussed.

Volume

37

Issue

5

First Page

594

Last Page

598

ISSN

1533-1601

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

19487255

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

Share

COinS