This Article Résumé de cet Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a scholarly reply Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Goto, Y. Articles by Shorten, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Goto, Y. Articles by Shorten, G. Related Collections General Anesthesia

Does chronic occupational exposure to volatile anesthetic agents influence the rate of neutrophil apoptosis?

Yukiko Goto, MD^*, John Gallagher , FFMMI AFOM, Noel Fanning , MB FRCSI, Jianghuai Wang , MD PhD, Sean McCusker , BSc DIP OCC HYG MIOH, Paul Redmond , BSc MCH FRCSI FRCS and George Shorten , MD PhD^*

^* From the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine,
Occupational Medicine,
Department of Surgery, Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, and
McCusker Environmental, Co. Clare, Ireland.

Address correspondence to: Prof. G. Shorten, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Phone: 353-21-546400 (Ext: 2566); Fax: 353-21-546434; E-mail: shorteng{at}shb.ie

Purpose: The purpose of this preliminary investigation was to determine whether the rate of neutrophil apoptosis in health care workers is influenced by exposure to volatile anesthetic agents.

Methods: Percentage neutrophil apoptosis (Annexin-V FITC assay) was measured in health care workers (n = 20) and unexposed volunteers (n = 10). For the health care workers, time weighted personal exposure monitoring to N₂O, sevoflurane and isoflurane was carried out.

Results: The sevoflurane and isoflurane concentrations to which health care workers were exposed were less than recommended levels in all 20 cases. Percent apoptosis was less at 24 (but not at one and 12) hr culture in health care workers {50.5 (9.7)%; P = 0.008} than in unexposed volunteers {57.3 (5.1)%}.

Conclusion: Inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis at 24 hr culture was demonstrated in health care workers chronically exposed to volatile anesthetic agents. Exposure was well below recommended levels in the both scavenged and unscavenged work areas in which the study was carried out. Further study is required to assess the effect of greater degrees of chronic exposure to volatile anesthetic agents on neutrophil apoptosis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Boselli, F. Duflo, R. Debon, B. Allaouchiche, D. Chassard, L. Thomas, and J. Portoukalian The Induction of Apoptosis by Local Anesthetics: A Comparison Between Lidocaine and Ropivacaine Anesth. Analg., March 1, 2003; 96(3): 755 - 756. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]