Evaluation of oxidative stress parameters and genotoxic effects in patients with work-related asthma and silicosis

Asthma is a global health problem that affects more than 300 million people in the world. About 10-33% of adult-onset asthma is work-related asthma (WRA). Silicosis is an occupational lung disease that can result in the formation of nodules in the lungs, pulmonary fibrosis and functional losses resulting from exposure to silica in working life. Silicosis continues to be one of the most important public health problems especially in developing countries. The aim of the study was to determine possible changes in oxidative stress, inflammation and genotoxicity parameters that may occur in two common occupational diseases and to contribute to the early diagnosis and prevention of these diseases. Blood and buccal epithelial swab samples were taken from 24 patients with WRA, 23 patients with silicosis, 27 of whom had exposure but had no disease and 38 healthy volunteers who applied to Ankara Occupational and Environmental Diseases Hospital. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activities, which are oxidative stress biomarkers, malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukins (IL) IL-17, IL-23 and IL-27 levels, which are inflammation biomarkers, were measured in the serum. Genotoxic damage was evaluated by calculating the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in buccal epithelial swab samples and 8-OHdG in serum. Serum SOD, CAT, GPx, MDA, 8-OHdG, IL-17, IL-23 and IL-27 levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in the exposure, WRA, and silicosis groups compared to the control group. The frequency of MN in the buccal epithelial cells of the patient group was found to be significantly higher than the control group. The fact that these results are high in both the patient group and the exposed group indicates that they may be early biomarkers and will be a guide for taking precautions in the early period.