RT Journal Article ID 315783863c653eb2 A1 Pasquini, Rossana A1 Scassellati-Sforzolini, Giuseppina A1 Fatigoni, Cristina A1 Marcarelli, Massimiliano A1 Monarca, Silvano A1 Donato, Francesco A1 Cencetti, Stefano A1 Cerami, Francesco Maria T1 Sister Chromatid Exchanges and Micronuclei in Lymphocytes of Operating Room Personnel Occupationally Exposed to Enfluorane and Nitrous Oxide JF Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology JO JEP(T) YR 2001 FD 2001-06-01 VO 20 IS 2 OP 8 AB The objective of this article is to assess whether occupational exposure to anesthetics increases genotoxic risk.We investigated two cytogenetic biomarkers, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and micronuclei (MN), in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 46 anesthesiologists (24 men), working in operating rooms and mostly exposed to enfluorane and nitrous oxide, and 66 controls (35 men), not exposed to chemicals and living in the same area. Contrary to what was expected, a lower frequency of SCE was found in male anesthesiologists than in controls. Smoking status was found to be positively associated with SCE frequency in each group, while no relation to age was evident. On the contrary, MN frequency was significantly higher in female, but not male, anesthesiologists than in controls. Age and smoking status did not modify the association.No relationship between MN frequency and duration of employment was found in anesthesiologists. Smoking status and mean number of cigarettes smoked per day in smokers were not associated with MN frequency in either anesthesiologists or in controls. MN analysis seems to be a sensitive index of possible genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to anesthesiologists, and women appear to be more susceptible to these effects than men. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/0ff459a57a4c08d0,467349702fb3f660,315783863c653eb2.html