The Effect of Medications in Buccal Epithelial Cells of Behcets Disease Patients (Cytomorphometrical Study)

Background Behcet's disease (BD) is a multi- systemic chronic vacuities passing with alternating stages of flare up and remission. The disease is characterized by repetitive aphthous ulcers in addition to either of the following genital ulcers, articular, cutaneous as well as ocular symptoms and central nervous system lesions. Oral Exfoliative cytology is considered as important technique for understanding many changes (normal, abnormal) happened on cells. Aim the aim of current study is to determine the alterations in cyto-morphometry of buccal exfoliated specimens in Behcet's disease patients caused by steroid or cholchicine treatment. Material and methods Supra-basal cells specimens were obtained from apparently normal (away from aphthus lesions) buccal mucosa of Behcet's disease patients under treatment (steroid, cholchicine) and newly diagnosed untreated cases in addition to healthy subjects. The Papanicolaou method has been used for staining histologic specimens. Cytomorphometric evaluation was done using light microscope and image analysis system. Results The untreated Behcet's disease group was associated with significant reduction in cytoplasmic and nuclear area, but preserving the ratio between the two cellular characteristics compared to healthy group. Both steroids and colchicine treatments were associated with a statistically significant increase in cytoplasmic area compared to untreated cases. However, the nuclear area showed a noticeable reduction in Behcet's disease treated with steroids resulting in a comparable reduction in nuclear to cytoplasmic area ratio in treated cases compared to untreated. Conclusion the study demonstrated that Behcet's disease process and treatment can reflect at the cellular level. Such micro-level changes my give a key to future understanding of disease and treatment pathological processes.