Initial evaluation and follow-up of acute radiation syndrome in two patients from the Dakar accident

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate and follow up the evolution of radiation damage in two victims of a radiation accident. Blood samples were used for cytogenetic evaluation of radiation dose and heterogeneity. The radiation dose estimates were 1 Gy and 2.3 Gy in the two most exposed patients. Plasma was used for the measurement of the Flt3 ligand as a marker of haematopoietic aplasia, citrulline for damage to the jejunal mucosal epithelium and oxysterols for damage to the liver, the central nervous system and the vascular compartment. The use of these biological indicators demonstrated the presence of a haematopoietic syndrome and suggested the presence of subclinical radiation-induced damage to the liver in one of the two patients. These results support the interest in using these biological indicators in order to evaluate radiation damage, especially in complex accidental situations.

Keywords::

• Radiation accident
• biological indicators
• Flt3-ligand
• citrulline
• oxysterols

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the medical staff of the Hematology Department of Percy Hospital for the efforts made in the management of blood samples, C. Demarquay and L. Grandcolas for helpful technical assistance and invaluable advice, and the team from the Biological dosimetry lab for their expert work. The secretarial assistance of S. Quernée and K. Mediana is also warmly acknowledged.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.