This study was undertaken to determine whether exposure of operating room personnel to inhalation anesthetics, including nitrous oxide, isoflurane, and sevoflurane was associated with any hepatotoxic or nephrotoxic changes. Fifty-two operating room personnel and 52 non-exposed subjects were studied. A questionnaire pertaining to demographic characteristics and medical history of participants was completed. Fasting blood samples were taken from all subjects to measure the functional parameters of kidneys and liver. Biological monitoring was also performed to detect the urinary concentration of IAs. Urinary concentrations of nitrous oxide, isoflurane, and sevoflurane were found to be 175.8 ± 77.52, 4.95 ± 3.43, and 15.0 3± 16.06 ppm, respectively. The mean levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, Alpha-glutathione-S-transferase, as well as the serum levels of kidney injury molecule-1, creatinine and calcium were significantly higher in the exposed group. Statistically significant associations were observed between exposure to inhalation anesthetics and the mean levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase, serum creatinine, kidney injury molecule-1, and calcium. Under the exposure scenario described in the present study, occupational exposure to inhalation anesthetics was associated with subtle, subclinical, pre-pathologic changes in the parameters of liver and kidneys. Additionally, Alpha-glutathione-S-transferase and kidney injury molecule-1 were found to be sensitive markers for early detection of subclinical changes in the parameters of kidney and liver function in subjects who are exposed to inhalation anesthetics.

This study was undertaken to determine whether exposure of operating room personnel to inhalation anesthetics, nitrous oxide, isoflurane, and sevoflurane was associated with any hematological changes. This historical cohort study was performed in 2018 at a large public hospital in Shiraz, where 52 operating room personnel and 52 administrative staff were investigated. The blood sample was taken from all individuals for Complete Blood Count. Furthermore, demographic information was collected through questionnaires. Mean atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide, isoflurane, and sevoflurane, to which subjects were exposed, were 850.92, 2.40, and 0.18 ppm, respectively. The hematological parameters were within the normal range in both groups. However, the mean values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and red blood cell count in the exposed group were significantly lower than the control group. No significant differences were noted between the two groups as far as other hematological factors were concerned. These findings provide circumstantial evidence to further substantiate the notion that occupational exposure to inhalation anesthetics, under the exposure scenario explained in this study, is associated with subtle, subclinical, prepathologic hematological changes. Long-term consequence and ramifications of these effects require further investigation. The range of exposure levels to anesthetic gases in operating rooms.