Monitoring early cell damage in physicians who are occupationally exposed to inhalational anesthetics

Publication date: Available online 9 October 2018Source: Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of MutagenesisAuthor(s): Aline G. Aun, Marjorie A. Golim, Flávia R. Nogueira, Kátina M. Souza, Nayara M. Arruda, José Reinaldo C. Braz, Leandro G. Braz, Mariana G. BrazAbstractWorldwide, millions of professionals who work in operating rooms are occupationally exposed to inhalational anesthetics. Thus, the potential health effects of the continuous exposure to inhalational anesthetics on individuals in the operating room remain a subject of debate. Human biomonitoring is a potentially useful tool for assessing the health of exposed professionals. No report has yet evaluated the possible cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of the most commonly used inhalational anesthetics on young professionals who are occupationally exposed. Considering the importance of this issue, we monitored physicians who were exposed to inhalational anesthetics during their first year of a medical residency program to evaluate the possible early damage events. Twenty-six young physicians who had been occupationally exposed to the anesthetics isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane, and nitrous oxide and who worked in operating rooms using modern anesthesia workstations during their medical residency program, participated in this study. Blood samples were evaluated before the start of the program (before the exposure), and after ½ year and 1 year of exposure. We monitored the subjects by assessin...

Source: Mutation Research Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis - October 10, 2018 Category: Cytology Source Type: research