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Absence of Signs of Vitamin B 12 ‐ Nitrous Oxide Interaction in Operating Theatre Personnel
Author(s) -
Salo M.,
Rajamaki A.,
Nikoskelainen J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1984.tb02021.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nitrous oxide , vitamin b , anesthesia , health hazard , vitamin , peripheral blood , occupational exposure , emergency medicine , environmental health
Inactivation of vitamin B 12 by nitrous oxide leads to megaloblastic haematopoiesis. Peripheral blood counts and films, serum vitamin B 12 and plasma and erythrocyte folate concentrations were studied in eight anaesthetists and seven internists to find if the interaction is an occupational health hazard to operating theatre personnel chronically exposed to trace concentrations of nitrous oxide. In addition, blood counts were studied in two retrospective materials of 118 operating theatre nurses working in scavenged operating theatres and in ten subjects working in unscavenged theatres. No definite signs of B 12 ‐nitrous oxide interaction could be observed in the peripheral blood samples from these persons.