[Histopathological study of minor salivary glands in alcoholics]

A qualitative and quantitative histological analysis of minor salivary glands was carried out in 60 alcoholics and 20 matched control patients. Minor salivary glands biopsies were obtained and samples were processed for conventional light microscopy. A quantitative morphometrical assessment was carried out by counting the number of acinar cells present in an area by means of a squared grid eye piece. Neither hipertrophic nor atrophic responses were found in the quantitative analysis. Histological changes such as acinar degeneration, hyperemia, mononuclear inflammatory and fat infiltration were found in both experimental and control samples. None of these findings reached statistical significance. Eleven adult alcoholics without liver damage (ASD) presented duct dilatation. On the other hand, only 3 adult alcoholics with liver damage (ACD) developed this response. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.02). Perhaps no difference was found when we compared ASD group with its respective control group (p = 0.699). We could not differentiate if this change was due to alcoholism or another undeterminated factor. At least under the scope of this study, we may conclude that minor salivary glands are scarcely affected by alcoholism even when liver damage has been established.