Effects of chronic occupational exposure to anaesthetic gases on the rate of neutrophil apoptosis among anaesthetists.
OBJECTIVE
Volatile anaesthetic agents are known to influence neutrophil function. The aim was to determine the effect of chronic occupational exposure to volatile anaesthetic agents on the rate of neutrophil apoptosis among anaesthetists. To test this hypothesis, we compared the rate of neutrophil apoptosis in anaesthetists who had been chronically exposed to volatile anaesthetic agents with that in unexposed volunteers.


METHODS
Venous blood (20 mL) was withdrawn from 24 ASA I-II volunteers, from which neutrophils were isolated, and maintained in culture. At 1, 12 and 24 h in culture, the percentage of neutrophil apoptosis was assessed by dual staining with annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide.


RESULTS
At 1 h (but not at 12 and 24 h) in culture, the rate of neutrophil apoptosis was significantly less in the anaesthetists--13.8 (12.9%) versus 34.4 (12.1%) (P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic occupational exposure to volatile anaesthetic agents may inhibit neutrophil apoptosis. This may have implications for anaesthetists and similarly exposed healthcare workers in terms of the adequacy of their inflammatory response.
Tyther
R
R
Cork University Hospital, Departments of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine.
Halligan
M
M
Wang
J
J
Redmond
H P
HP
Shorten
G
G
D000328:Adult; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D013997:Time Factors
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation