Evaluation of Exfoliative Cytology of Buccal Epithelium in Diabetic Patients

Diabetes mellitus is a complex disease that results in severe metabolic disorders. Recently; great advances about diagnostic criteria of diabetes have occurred. The aim of the present study was cytomorphometric and microscopic analysis of buccal epithelium in diabetic patients in order to find a new procedure for diagnosis. In this cohort study, buccal epithelial smear of 12 patients with type I diabetes, 12 patients with type II diabetes, and 24 normal subjects as a control were taken. Papaniculao technique was used for staining the samples and the nuclear and Cytoplasmic area were measured by counting point method. Cytoplasmic / nuclear ratio was calculated. t-test was used for statistical analysis through SPSS13. The epithelial cells of diabetic patients showed binucleation and karyorrhexis. The nuclear and cytoplasmic area as well as cytoplasmic/ nuclear ratio were significantly lower in diabetic patients compared to healthy controls (P<0.05). Diabetes mellitus can produce some alterations in oral epithelial cells. Although these changes are not specific in diabetes, they can be used in diagnosis of this disease.