Exposure to antineoplastic drugs in health care and blood chemistry parameters

Objectives. The purpose of the research is to evaluate whether the exposure to antineoplastic drugs of health workers may cause alteration of blood chemistry parameters. Materials and Methods. Research was conducted on 5800 health workers employed in a hospital in a big Italian city. The final sample is composed of 57 people in charge of cytotoxic drugs compared with 57 subjects not exposed; each worker underwent a general clinical examination and determination of the following values: complete blood count (CBC), white blood cell count (WBC), total protein, BUN, total bilirubin, creatinine, GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase, gamma GT. Statistical analysis of data was based on calculation of the mean, standard deviation and the distribution into classes according to the nature of each variable. Differences were considered significant when p was <= 0.05. Results. The mean and the distribution of values of total bilirubin were significantly higher in the workers exposed to antineoplastic drugs than in workers non-exposed; the mean and the distribution of values of monocytes were significantly lower in subjects exposed compared to controls. Conclusions. According to the results antiblastic drugs, at the doses used in the departments we studied, can induce an increase in the values of total bilirubin for liver toxicity and a reduction in the monocyte line due to myelosuppression. Clin Ter 2012;163(6):e387-392