Cytological Pattern of Urine in Sudanese Tobacco Smokers

Abstract

This a case control analytical study conducted in Khartoum State during the period from August to December 2007. The study assessed the cytological changes that might be induced by tobacco smoking in the urinary bladder. Urine specimens were obtained from 200 participants of whom 100 were tobacco smokers and 100 were non-tobacco users. Two smears were prepared from each specimen then stained using two different techniques Papanicolaou smear (PaP.) and silver nitrate for Nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR). Of the 200 specimens stained by Pap, cytological atypias were detected among 12 (6%) of the smokers, notably, no cytological atypia was detected among non-tobacco users. These findings indicated statistically significant the risk associated with smoking P<0.05. According to the duration of smoking, atypical changes detected among 10(10%) of tobacco smokers from the duration of 6-16 years, 2(2%) in duration of 17-27 years and atypia never seen in individuals who smoked for more than 28 years. Furthermore, inflammatory cells infiltrate were found among 25(25%) of smokers of which, 13 (13%) were acute and 12 were chronic inflammation compared to only 4 (4%) acute inflammation among non-tobacco users. Concerning AgNOR, we found a difference between the means of AgNOR in tobacco smokers and non-tobacco smokers. AgNOR mean was 4.5/ cells in the tobacco smokers while it was 1.4 in non -tobacco smokers. In conclusion tobacco smoking habit was found to be a potent risk factor inducing urothelium atypia as well as inflammatory infiltrate. Silver nitrate for Nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) could be used in early detection of cytological