title: The genotoxic risk in health care workers occupationally exposed to cytotoxic drugs--a comprehensive evaluation by the SCE assay.
abstract: Present study aimed at an integral assessment of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies in the health care workers occupationally exposed to cytostatics. The results of 500 individual analyses were evaluated. Drug handling practice was investigated in parallel and the results showed that cytostatics are mostly prepared outside hospital pharmacy (98%) and mainly handled by nurses (96%). Mean frequency of SCE was 5.63 +/- 2.28, while HFC represented 9.65% of the cells analysed. Both values were higher compared to previously established control values for Croatian population. The duration of exposure, profession, age, gender, smoking habit, medical exposures, and simultaneous exposure to other occupational mutagens significantly contributed to SCE and HFC values. The usefulness both biomarkers in the assessment of cytogenetic damage is confirmed. Since current practice in Croatian hospitals does not include regular monitoring of workplaces, to ensure maximal occupational safety, a surveillance on exposed health care workers, including periodic biomonitoring, is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia. nkopjar@imi.hr
authors.forename: Nevenka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kopjar
authors.forename: Vilena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kasuba
authors.forename: Ruzica
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozgaj
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zeljezic
authors.forename: Mirta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milic
authors.forename: Snjezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramic
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pavlica
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milkovic-Kraus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009726:Nurses; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009153:Mutagens