The role of antioxidant supplementation in occupational exposure to waste anaesthetic gases.

OBJECTIVES: Although the genotoxicity related to waste anaesthetic gases is controversial, a consistent number of observations have provided evidence for an increased level of DNA strand breaks. The goal of the research was to investigate this hypothesis and estimate the genoprotective role of antioxidant supplementation in technical anaesthesiology staff working in operating theatres. METHODS: Heparinized venous blood samples were collected from 17 exposed technical anaesthesiology staff (mean age 34.3 +/- 3.5 years) and non-exposed control group (mean age 32.2 +/- 3.4 years) and examined in the alkaline comet assay for DNA strand breakage. Vitamin E (300 mg/day) plus vitamin C (500 mg/day) were supplemented to the technical anaesthesiology staff for 12 weeks and blood samples were retaken and evaluated by comet assay. RESULTS: The DNA breakage observed in the lymphocytes of the technical anaesthesiology staff was 21.5 +/- 5.0, as calculated by total comet score (TCS). This score was significantly higher (P<0.001) than in the controls (8.6 +/- 4.7) before antioxidant treatment. Supplementation of vitamins E plus C significantly (P<0.01) reduced the mean TCS as 14.2 +/- 6.1. CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicate that occupational exposure to anaesthetic gases induces oxidative DNA damage. Supplementation of the diet for 12 weeks with vitamin C and vitamin E resulted in a significant decrease in the DNA damage.