Cytologic changes in the respiratory tract in children smokers

Cytologic investigation was carried out on sputum of 45 children who were cigarette smokers and in a control group of nonsmoking children matched for age and environment. All but one of the children smokers were able to produce sputa whereas none of the controls could do so. Abnormal columnar cells...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inActa cytologica Vol. 23; no. 5; p. 389
Main Authors Plamenac, P, Nikulin, A, Pikula, B, Marković, Z
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland 01.09.1979
Subjects
Adolescent
Age Factors
Child
Humans
Male
Respiratory System - pathology
Smoking - pathology
Sputum - cytology
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Summary:Cytologic investigation was carried out on sputum of 45 children who were cigarette smokers and in a control group of nonsmoking children matched for age and environment. All but one of the children smokers were able to produce sputa whereas none of the controls could do so. Abnormal columnar cells were frequent, and squamous metaplasia was noted in 15.5% of the 45 patients. Atypical metaplasia was not found. The rate of metaplasia was much lower in children than in adult smokers. It is possible that the respiratory epithelium of children is resistant to the noxious effects of cigarette smoke.
ISSN:0001-5547