Smokers' melanosis in a Nigerian population: a preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Oral pathology
• Dermatology
• Public health

Background:

• Oral mucosal pigmentation encompasses various conditions, including physiologic pigmentation, nevi, melanotic maculae, melanoma, and smokers' melanosis.
• Melanin incontinence is a suspected cause of oral mucosal pigmentation, influenced by systemic and local factors like hormones, drugs, and smoking.
• This study specifically investigated the prevalence of melanosis in Nigerian smokers versus non-smokers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of oral mucosal pigmentation (melanosis) among Nigerian smokers.
• To compare the prevalence of melanosis between smokers and non-smokers in Nigeria.
• To identify correlations between smoking habits (duration, intensity) and the occurrence of oral melanosis.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study examined 253 systemically healthy adults (60 smokers, 193 non-smokers) in Lagos, Nigeria.
• Five oral mucosal sites per subject were examined for pigmentation, recorded as present or absent.
• Smoking status, degree, and duration were collected via questionnaires; data analyzed using SPSS with appropriate statistical tests (t-test, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, Fisher's exact).

Main Results:

• Pigmented sites were significantly more prevalent in smokers (6%) compared to non-smokers (0.52%).
• The buccal mucosa was the most common site for pigmentation in smokers, while the lingual mucosa was most common in non-smokers.
• A direct relationship was observed between smoking duration, daily cigarette consumption, and pack-years, and the prevalence of pigmented sites in smokers.

Conclusions:

• Smokers demonstrate a significantly higher prevalence of oral mucosal melanosis than non-smokers.
• The degree and duration of smoking are positively associated with an increased number of pigmented oral mucosal sites.
• The buccal mucosa is the primary site affected by melanosis in Nigerian smokers.