Handling Antineoplastic Agents: Urine Mutagenicity in Nurses |
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| Authors: | Bonnie Rogers Edward A. Emmett |
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| Affiliation: | Assistant Professor of Nursing and Public Health and Director, Occupational Health Nursing Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.;Professor and Director, Division of Occupational Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. |
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| Abstract: | Recent investigations have suggested that handling antineoplastic agents may be associated with potential health hazards. Interviews and urine samples were collected from 59 exposed nurses and 64 nonexposed nurses. Urine assays were compared from exposed and nonexposed nurses after working usually 3 to 5 working days, and a period of nonexposure. Demographic characteristics, occupational history, health status, medications, pregnancy history, smoking history, use of protective work practices and number, type and duration of exposures to antineoplastic agents were collected. The results showed that nurses exposed to antineoplastic agents at work were significantly more likely to have urinary mutagenicity, as compared to nonexposed nurses. Those at greatest risk were nurses working in private oncology practices and clinics. A significantly higher proportion of untoward pregnancy outcomes occurred in pregnancies with exposure to antineoplastic agents. |
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