Histopathological Analysis of the Effects of Corticosteroids on Vocal Cords: Experimental Study

Local treatment with corticosteroids results in side effects involving the upper respiratory tract including candidiasis, sore throat, and dysphonia. Although these effects are well known, they have not been evaluated using a histopathological approach. This study investigated the histopathological aspects of steroid-induced dysphonia. A total of 16 female Wistar albino rats were divided into two groups. The eight rats in the experimental group were given an inhaled dose of mometasone furoate daily for 4 weeks. The control group was kept at room temperature for 4 weeks. The vocal cords were evaluated histopathologically using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Both groups had typical epithelial lining and basal membranes. Inflammation differed between the two groups (P = 0.024). There were no differences in squamous metaplasia and hyperplasia (P = 0.302 and 0.302, respectively). This study revealed that inhaled corticosteroids inhibit mucosal immunity, and may result in reversible mucosal changes.