[Study of cardiovascular morbidity in nurses exposed to cytostatic drugs: Multivaried approach analysis]

To investigate the relationship between cardiovascular morbidity and exposure to cytostatic drugs.

A descriptive analytical study was conducted with 74 nurses exposed to cytostatic drugs in oncology and 215 unexposed. A medical questionnaire was applied. Exposure to cytostatic drugs was estimated by the exposure time and the index of cytostatic contact (ICC). The statistical tests used are: relative risk, odds ratio, multivariate analysis: descriptive (ACM) and predictive (AIC system).

It is a young population; the average age is 42±9.9years with a female predominance (81%). The average length was 18.4±11.11years. The average of the ICC ranged from 0.60 to 12.6 with a highly significant difference. For morbidity, there was no difference for most cardiovascular disease (RR, 1.03; 95% CI [0.59; 1.82]) outside of hypertension and venous thrombosis. ACM objectified separation between the terms and the comments of the two groups for HTA. The interpretation of results at alpha=0.05 showed an association with cardiovascular disease. The study of the association between cardiovascular morbidity and exposure to cytostatic objectified association with seniority and the ICC with a statistically significant difference (P=0.01).

Multivariate analysis helped to eliminate confounding factors and retain the ICC and length of exposure to cytostatic in the onset of cardiovascular morbidity.