title: Sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes after anaesthesia with halothane or enflurane.
abstract: The potential mutagenicity of inhalation anaesthetics was investigated by the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test system applied to lymphocytes in peripheral blood drawn from patients before and after anaesthesia. Twenty-one women, aged 39-82 years (median 57.7 years) received halothane for 75-180 min (median 125 min). Fourteen other patients, aged 45-90 years (median 67.5 years) received enflurane for 90-180 min (median 130 min). In both groups the numbers of SCEs were unchanged immediately following anaesthesia and 5 days after. It was concluded that, by this method, comprising human cells exposed in vivo, there was no indication of mutagenic effect of short-term exposure to halothane or enflurane in anaesthetic concentrations.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004737:Enflurane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004737:Enflurane; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D006221:Halothane