Comparison of desflurane anaesthesia associated or not with nitrous oxide in oxidative DNA damage in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery

Background and Goal of Study: Desflurane is one of the newest halogenated anaesthetics and has recently been introduced in clinical practice. Little is known about the genotoxic effect of desflurane, and whether concomitant use of nitrous oxide (N2O) can aggravate this effect on genetic material. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative DNA damage of anaesthesia maintained with desflurane, associated or not to N2O, in patients.
Materials and Methods: After approval from the local Ethical Committee, 30 ASA physical status I patients, non-smoking adults, of both sexes, who underwent minimally invasive surgery lasting at least 90 minutes were included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups of 15 to receive desflurane anaesthesia (1 MAC - 6%, 40% O2 and 60% air) or desflurane anaesthesia associated with N2O at 60% (40% O2). Blood samples were collected at baseline (before anaesthesia induction), 90 min after the beginning of anaesthesia and one day after surgery. The alkaline comet assay was performed in lymphocytes by using the enzyme endonuclease III to increase the sensitivity of the assay to detect oxidized bases. 
Results and Discussion: There were no significant differences between groups regarding demographic data (age, gender or body mass index, P > 0.05). The results showed no significant differences in oxidative DNA damage among the time points in the same group or between groups (P > 0.05). 
Conclusion: The findings indicate that neither desflurane anaesthesia nor desflurane anaesthesia associated with N2O induces oxidative DNA damage when evaluated in ASA physical status I patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery. Both types of anaesthesia seems to be safe regarding the genome in these type of patients.

Acknowledgements: This study was supported by FAPESP (grant #2013/16842-0).