title: Aqueous humor levels of topically applied levofloxacin in human eyes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate transcorneal penetration of topically applied 0.5% levofloxacin into the aqueous humor in human eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty cataract patients (14 females, 6 males) received 3 drops of 0.5% levofloxacin at 15 min intervals from 90 minutes before the surgery. At the beginning of the cataract surgery, 50 microL of aqueous humor was aspirated from the anterior chamber and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis. The drug concentration of the samples was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A mean aqueous humor level of levofloxacin was 1.00 +/- 0.48 microg/mL (mean +/- standard deviation, n = 20), ranging from 0.30 microg/mL to 2.32 microg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean concentration of levofloxacin in the aqueous humor was higher than the MIC(90) values against some common pathogens of postoperative endophthalmitis, although a great degree of interpatient variability was present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. yamadam@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mashima
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin