High concentrations of waste anesthetic gases induce genetic damage and inflammation in physicians exposed for three years: A cross-sectional study.

This cross-sectional study analyzed the impact of occupational waste anesthetic gases on genetic material, oxidative stress, and inflammation status in young physicians exposed to inhalational anesthetics at the end of their medical residency. Concentrations of waste anesthetic gases were measured in the operating rooms to assess anesthetic pollution. The exposed group comprised individuals occupationally exposed to inhalational anesthetics, while the control group comprised individuals without anesthetic exposure. We quantified DNA damage; genetic instability (micronucleus-MN); protein, lipid, and DNA oxidation; antioxidant activities; and proinflammatory cytokine levels. Trace concentrations of anesthetics (isoflurane: 5.3 ± 2.5 ppm, sevoflurane: 9.7 ± 5.9 ppm, and nitrous oxide: 180 ± 150 ppm) were above international recommended thresholds. Basal DNA damage and IL-17A were significantly higher in the exposed group [27 ± 20 a.u. and 20.7(19.1;31.8) pg/mL, respectively] compared to the control group [17 ± 11 a.u. and 19.0(18.9;19.5) pg/mL, respectively], and MN frequency was slightly increased in the exposed physicians (2.3-fold). No significant difference was observed regarding oxidative stress biomarkers. The findings highlight the genetic and inflammatory risks in young physicians exposed to inhalational agents in operating rooms lacking adequate scavenging systems. This potential health hazard can accompany these subjects throughout their professional lives and reinforces the need to reduce ambient air pollution and consequently, occupational exposure.

Comparison of DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Patients Anesthetized With Desflurane Associated or Not With Nitrous Oxide: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effects of desflurane associated or not with nitrous oxide (N2O) on oxidative stress and patient genetic material. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of anesthesia maintained with desflurane associated or not with N2O on DNA damage (as a primary outcome) and oxidative stress (as a secondary outcome) in patients who underwent an elective minimally invasive surgery. METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical trial analyzed 40 patients of both sexes with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I who were 18-50 years of age and scheduled for septoplasty. The patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups according to anesthesia maintenance as follows: desflurane (n = 20) or desflurane/N2O (n = 20). Blood samples were collected before anesthesia (T1 = baseline), 1.5 hours after anesthesia induction (T2), and on the morning of the postoperative first day (T3). Basal and oxidative DNA damage (determined using formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase to detect oxidized purines and endonuclease III to detect oxidized pyrimidines) were evaluated using the comet assay. Oxidative stress markers were evaluated based on lipid peroxidation (by assessing 4-hydroxynonenal and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α [8-isoprostane] using enzyme linked immunosorbent immunoassay), protein carbonyls (assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent immunoassay), and antioxidant defense (ferric-reducing antioxidant power by spectrophotometry). The effect size was expressed as the mean differences between groups and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: There was no significant mean difference between groups in relation to DNA damage (-1.7 [95% CI, -7.0 to 3.5]), oxidized DNA pyrimidines (-1.8 [95% CI, -12.5 to 8.9]) and purines (-1.9 [95% CI, -13.9 to 10.1]), 4-hydroxynonenal (-0.2 [95% CI, -2.8 to 2.4]), 8-isoprostane (549 [95% CI, -2378 to 3476]), protein carbonyls (0.2 [95% CI, -2.1 to 2.3]), or ferric-reducing antioxidant power (24 [95% CI, -52.0 to 117.2]). CONCLUSIONS: The coadministration of 60% N2O with desflurane did not seem to impair the effects on DNA or the redox status compared with desflurane anesthesia, suggesting that both studied anesthetic techniques can be suitable options for healthy individuals who undergo minimally invasive surgery lasting at least 1.5 hours. However, due to the low power of the study, more research is necessary to confirm our findings.

Acute consumption of walnuts and walnut components differentially affect postprandial lipemia, endothelial function, oxidative stress, and cholesterol efflux in humans with mild hypercholesterolemia.

Walnut consumption improves cardiovascular disease risk; however, to our knowledge, the contribution of individual walnut components has not been assessed. This study evaluated the acute consumption of whole walnuts (85 g), separated nut skins (5.6 g), de-fatted nutmeat (34 g), and nut oil (51 g) on postprandial lipemia, endothelial function, and oxidative stress. Cholesterol efflux (ex vivo) was assessed in the whole walnut treatment only. A randomized, 4-period, crossover trial was conducted in healthy overweight and obese adults (n = 15) with moderate hypercholesterolemia. There was a treatment × time point interaction for triglycerides (P < 0.01) and increased postprandial concentrations were observed for the oil and whole walnut treatments (P < 0.01). Walnut skins decreased the reactive hyperemia index (RHI) compared with baseline (P = 0.02) such that a difference persisted between the skin and oil treatments (P = 0.01). The Framingham RHI was maintained with the oil treatment compared with the skins and whole nut (P < 0.05). There was a treatment effect for the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) (P < 0.01), and mean FRAP was greater with the oil and skin treatments compared with the nutmeat (P < 0.01). Cholesterol efflux increased by 3.3% following whole walnut consumption in J774 cells cultured with postprandial serum compared with fasting baseline (P = 0.02). Walnut oil favorably affected endothelial function and whole walnuts increased cholesterol efflux. These 2 novel mechanisms may explain in part the cardiovascular benefits of walnuts.