Does Fluoroscopy Induce DNA Oxidative Damage in Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation?

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Catheter ablation (CA) procedures utilize low-dose ionizing radiation.
• The risks of oxidative and DNA damage from this radiation exposure are not well-understood.
• Investigating these risks is crucial for patient safety during CA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate oxidative and DNA damage in patients undergoing CA.
• To assess the impact of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on radiation-induced damage.
• To explore the potential of 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as a biomarker.

Main Methods:

• Studied 59 CA patients, with 10 receiving NAC.
• Measured oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio and 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels.
• Assessed DNA tail percentages and correlated with procedure parameters like fluoroscopy time.

Main Results:

• A transient increase in oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio was observed post-CA, mitigated by NAC.
• 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) peaked 24 hours after CA.
• 8-OHdG levels positively correlated with fluoroscopy time and DNA strand breaks.

Conclusions:

• CA induces oxidative and DNA damage, influenced by radiation exposure.
• N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may offer protective effects against this damage.
• 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) shows potential as a biomarker for radiation-induced DNA damage.