Genotoxic effects of anesthetic agents

Background: Preliminary research results indicate that exposure to anesthetics affects health. Objective: To provide, with evidence-based knowledge, the answer to the question: What are the genotoxic effects threatening people exposed to anesthetics? Method: A systematic review of scientific literature. A systematic search of The Cochrane Library, MedLine, and CINAHL resulted in a screening of 212 abstracts of which 54 articles were assessed for quality. The 54 articles assessed covered areas on general health effects (neurobehavioral effects, immunology) and, in particular, genotoxic effects. Results/conclusion: In the scientific literature reviewed, there is evidence of exposure to anesthetics, especially nitrous oxide and halogenated gases, being associated with general health and genotoxic risks, but conflicting results have been obtained. The result of this review further stresses the need for scientific knowledge in this area and enhances the studies, above all, on people exposed for long periods.