CURSCHMANNS-SPIRALS IN SPUTUM OF SUBJECTS EXPOSED DAILY TO URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL-POLLUTION

Curschmann's spirals have been observed for more than 100 yr in the sp utum of patients affected by lung cancer; asthma, chronic bronchitis, or in asymptomatic smokers. However to date, their clinical significan ce and pathogenesis have not been completely explained Curschmann's sp irals in the sputum of two populations were studied: 164 traffic polic emen of Rome and 119 subjects living in a rural district near Perugia. Of these two groups, only the first were exposed daily to err-ban env ironmental pollutions. Spirals were detected in the sputum of 29 traff ic policemen and in 3 subjects from the group not exposed daily to urb an environmental pollutants. Between these two groups Of subjects the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Therefore, daily exposure to urban atmospheric pollution may play a role in the produc tion of Curschmann's spirals. Our two groups were also divided into sm okers and nonsmokers to evaluate if cigarette smoking could influence the presence of spirals in sputum. Our study confirms the association of spirals in the sputum of smokers bur also indicates their presence in individuals who never smoked but were exposed to environmental poll utants. We also noticed that exposure to pollution and cigarette smoki ng may have a synergistic effect on the formation of spirals in the re spiratory tract. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.