백서에서 화학접착제 흡입이 후점막에 미치는 형태학적 변화

Background and Objectives: Chemical solvents abuse is a growing public health problem in the Korea and elsewhere, particularly among young adults and children. Chemical adhesive is a potent sensory irritant in man and animals due to its high solubility in nasal mucosa. Inhalation of chemical adhesives has been to cause hearing loss and abnormal auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and many neurologic sequelae. In this study we investigated the morphological changes of olfactory mucosa in chemical adhesive inhaled rat. Materials and Methods: In 40 healthy Spague-Dawley rat, we examined the olfactory mucosa after exposure to chemical adhesive. Results: 1) In experimental groups the olfactory mucosa showed increasing inflammatory cells in lamina propria and atropic changes, loss of cilia in olfactory epithelium. 2) These changes are deepened in proportion to exposed days. 3) These changes are recovered to normal within 3 weeks in case of experimental groups which the exposed duration is less than 5 days. 4) But these changes are not recovered to normal within 3 weeks in case of experimental groups which the exposed duration is 7 days. Conclusion: We concluded that the morphological changes of olfactory mucosa may be permanent and so the olfaction may be deteriorated when the duration of chemical adhesive exposure is over 7 days in rats. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 1999;10:231–237)