Somatic DNA damage in interventional cardiologists: a case‐control study

Abstract

Interventional cardiologists who work in cardiac catheterization laboratories are exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation that could pose a health hazard. DNA damage is considered to be the main initiating event by which radiation damage to cells results in development of cancer and hereditary disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of chronic low-dose X-ray radiation exposure on somatic DNA damage of interventional cardiologists working in high-volume cardiac catheterization laboratories. For this analysis, we used peripheral lymphocytes and the assay for micronuclei (MNs), which is considered to be a reliable biological dosimeter for radiation exposure. We obtained peripheral blood from 62 physicians (mean age+/-se = 40.6+/-1.5 years): 31 interventional cardiologists (group I, exposed) and 31 age- and sex-matched clinical cardiologists (group II, nonexposed). Interventional cardiologists showed higher MN values (group I=20.5+/-1.6 vs. group II=12.8+/-1.3, P=0.001), although some overlap was apparent in the individual subject analysis. A correlation between years of professional activity and MN frequency value was detectable for interventional cardiologists (r=0.428, P=0.02) but not for clinical cardiologists (r=0.253, P=0.17). The results indicated that, overall, interventional cardiologists working in a high-volume catheterization laboratory have higher levels of somatic DNA damage when compared with clinical cardiologists working outside the catheterization laboratory. The amount of this damage varies and is only weakly related to the duration of professional exposure, which suggests that a dominant modulation of the underlying genetic substrate by environmental factors has a role in determining the harm in individual physicians.

Evaluation of Chromosomal Aberrations and Micronuclei in Medical Workers Chronically Exposed to Low Dose Ionizing Radiation

“…The interventional group working in a high-volume catheterization laboratory had higher levels of MN, when compared with diagnostic. Years of radiological practice were correlated with the MN value in the exposed group, which suggests the presence of cumulative damage (Andreassi et al, 2005). Furthermore in this study the MN frequency in the exposed the groups based on the duration work length of employment as shown in Figure 6.…”

“…6, (Andreassi et al, 2005) reported the similar result that was no significant correlation between occupational radiation doses during the past year and MN frequency. (Zakeri & Hirobe, 2010) also reported that no obvious trend of increased chromosomal damages as a function of either duration of employment, exposed dose, sex or age.…”

Radiographic implications of procedures involving cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) – Selected aspects

“…Promieniowanie jonizujące, jakim jest promieniowanie rtg., wywiera niekorzystny wpływ na poziomie komórkowym, ze wzrostem wielkości emitowanej dawki, wywołując zmiany ogólnoustrojowe oraz inicjacje zmian miejscowych [4,5,19].…”

Radiation safety in the cardiac catheterization laboratory: Our responsibility to change

“…For instance, the average dose of 15 mSv confers a risk of one extra-cancer in every 750 exposed 50-yearold male paients, but the risk is 38% higher in women, must be muliplied by 4 in children, and is reduced by 50% in an 80-year-old man. The risk is higher in presence of some unfavorable polymorphisms of genes involved in DNA repair and in presence of other environmental carcinogens such as smoking 20,21 . The risk can probably be reduced with chemoprotecive strategies, for instance with ani-oxidant cocktails 22 , although the cost-beneit assessment of these strategies remains unsetled.…”