Association between smoking, glycaemia, blood lipoproteins and risk of oral leukoplakia

Abstract

Background: Among potentially malignant disorders, oral leukoplakia is the most common in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess risk factors associated with oral leukoplakia. Methods: This retrospective study included 142 patients diagnosed with oral leukoplakia according to World Health Organization clinical and histopathological criteria and a control group of healthy subjects matched for age and gender. Sociodemographic data were registered for each patient: age, gender, smoking and alcohol consumption. Leukoplakia characteristics were also registered: size, position, clinical form, and presence or absence of dysplasia; all cases of leukoplakia were classified systematically according to clinicopathological stage. Blood lipid component levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides were compared between groups. Results: Smoking had a significant effect on the risk of leukoplakia (P = 0.01, odds ratio (OR) = 8.33). High glucose levels also increased the probability of leukoplakia (P = 0.03, OR = 6.35), as did low-density lipoproteins (P = 0.049, OR = 5.65). The risk of dysplasia increased among patients presenting the non-homogeneous form of leukoplakia (P = 0.039, OR = 9.06) and among smokers (P = 0.044, OR = 28.33). Conclusions: Smoking, increased glucose and low-density lipoproteins in the blood are associated with a risk of oral leukoplakia.