title: A comparative study of the chemical stability of various mitomycin C solutions used in glaucoma filtering surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the chemical stability of various mitomycin C (MMC) solutions used in glaucoma filtering surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of the MMC solutions currently in use in 21 hospitals (11 in Canada, 10 in the United States) was conducted. A comparative study of the chemical stability of five different representative solutions was performed. The effects of buffer and storage variables on the chemical breakdown of MMC in the solutions were studied by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey revealed 33 different variations (including recipes and storage conditions) in the preparation of MMC solutions. Although the majority of the hospitals (15 of 21; 72%) were preparing stable solutions, six of the hospitals (28%) were preparing potentially unstable solutions. The stability of the solutions varied in a nonuniform manner when stored at different temperatures in different buffers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of standardization and quality control of MMC solutions used in filtering surgery allows for the possibility of hospitals preparing unstable solutions.
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Francoeur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Assalian
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lesk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tétreault
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Calleja
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guttman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rauth
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D002021:Buffers; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004355:Drug Stability; D004356:Drug Storage; D018463:Filtering Surgery; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D016685:Mitomycin