AGE-DEPENDENT HEMATOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES IN ANESTHETIC PERSONNEL CHRONICALLY EXPOSED TO HIGH OCCUPATIONAL CONCENTRATIONS OF HALOTHANE AND NITROUS-OXIDE

Anaesthetic staff chronically exposed to high occupational concentrati ons of halothane and nitrous oxide were tested for numerous haematolog ical and cellular function parameters at the peak of the working seaso n and after 3 weeks vacation. The analysis of data was performed to co mpare differences in subjects younger and older than the age of 40 yea rs, respectively when compared with normal controls. The analysis reve aled a higher recovery of erythrocyte count in the blood of older staf f and stronger disturbance of leucocyte formation in younger staff In contrast, monocytes appeared to be more stable in the younger staff as were the T and B lymphocyte counts. After stimulation with PHA, Con A and PWM mitogens, lymphocytes from the older age group incorporated a significantly higher amount of tritiated thymidine, but stimulation i ndices did not differ. Natural killer cell numbers appeared equally af fected. natural killer cell activity was unaffected, but there was an increase in activity in the younger staff after the vacation. Serum im munoglobulin concentrations tended to be move affected in older indivi duals at the peak of the working season.