EVALUATION OF MICRONUCLEUS INCIDENCE IN THE ORAL MUCOSA OF NARGUILÉ USERS

Abstract

Micronucleation is a type of alteration that occurs due to the exposure of cells to mutagenic agents, being a biological marker indicative for the onset of cancer and other diseases. The objective of this study was to characterize the profile of hookah users regarding age, frequency and duration of use and also the incidence of micronuclei in the oral mucosa of these individuals. The study has a descriptive cross-sectional exploratory character, performed by applying a questionnaire and collecting biological material from the participants. he results were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis by the Tukey Test (ANOVA), using P <0.05 as a degree of significance. The results showed that individuals aged 18 to 40 years are the most adept for hookah. However, the frequency of use among these individuals differs between age levels, so that 76% of users aged 18-25 make frequent use and 24% use rarely. Among individuals aged 26 to 40 years, 64% use frequently and 36% use rarely. The cytogenetic assay showed an increase in the frequency of micronuclei present in oral mucosa cells of users compared to nonusers, and it was possible to relate significant increase of micronuclei with exposure time. Thus, it is concluded that the substances present in hookah smoke are responsible for changes in the body's cells, causing harmful effects on health, serving as a warning to users of the hookah of the recurrent risks of using it.